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English language (monolingual) [PRO] Social Sciences - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / self-help book on regret
English term or phrase:trapdoor
Dear colleagues, I’m not sure about the meaning of “trapdoor” in the sentences below, taken from a self–help book on regret. In some bilingual dictionaries (English to Italian), "trapdoor" seems to have also a metaphorical meaning as "trap" or "pitfall", but I'm not sure whether this meaning might be right in this context. Maybe something along the lines of “precipice, abyss” (i.e. “fall into an abyss”) might be more appropriate? What’s your opinion? Thank you so much for your help!
******************* We Expect Chain Reactions and *** Trapdoors *** A common error in thinking about outcomes is to imagine a chain reaction of negative events that end up in catastrophe. For example, a person considering taking a new job might imagine that the job will not work out. She then imagines losing the job, being out of work, losing all her money, and ending up homeless. This chain reaction of negative events adds to the fear of making a change (...) Related to the sudden change of chain reactions is the belief that if we make a change we will be surprised by *** falling through a trapdoor ***. We sometimes think that something terrible will surprisingly and suddenly happen and we will be devastated. This might include your belief that if you make a commitment to a partner or a job you will be blindsided by betrayal or the company going bankrupt. Or you might think that if you buy a house or make an investment the entire market will collapse and you will end up with nothing.
CHALLENGE: Remember that there are dramatic changes that occur in relationships, companies, markets, and elsewhere but they are not the norm. If you go around predicting *** trapdoors *** every time you think of making a decision, you will never get out the door and live your life. You can walk through the door without falling through a *** trapdoor. ***
Explanation: This is an unusual use of "trapdoor". It's self-help speak, and another word, such as pitfall, would do just as well. The clue is there in "something terrible will surprisingly and suddenly happen".
It's also not the best of metaphors, because it's perfectly safe to walk on trapdoors if they're locked shut!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 9 mins (2022-07-14 16:06:56 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Or setback.
Just out of interest, does a literal translation work in Italian?
Thank you very much, Phil, for your help!
As I said in the Discussion, I'll try and use an "extended" version in the translation...maybe using the word "tunnel" (un tunnel pieno di insidie") to convey the image of actually falling through something.. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Dear colleagues, I've asked Nancy about the choice
16:42 Jul 21, 2022
of an answer. It seems I have to choose one... I'll choose Phil's solution, althought, as I said, I think I'll use an extended version, which includes also Yvonne's suggestion of a "void" or "tunnel"... Many thanks again to all of you for your contribution!
for your help! I haven't decided yet about the translation of this term, but I'm thinking of combining some of your proposals...that is, the idea of a "hole" as in Yvonne's answer and the idea of a pitfall, as in Phil's proposal. In Italian, we often use "tunnel" in a metaphorical sense... "tunnel pieno di insidie", "tunnel di problemi"...ecc.. That's why I won't choose one of the answers and I'll live to you to choose one: because all of you have been helpful to me... this is the first time I don't make a choice,...and I don't know exactly what I have to do...sorry.. Thanks again for your patience!
we never know what is below a trapdoor unless we have already been down there or can see! So it can have a very strong figurative meaning, clearly intended here imo. If the door is firmly bolted, no problem, then of course there is no risk. However, I think it is being used here as the unwary/unaware, falling into the unknown. Some medieval castles had open trapdoors with a rug or mat covering them and the unwary fell through and ended in the basement/dungeon or the bottom of a hill/cliff or in the sea! I'm sure we have all seen at least 1 film where such a thing happens? Also trapdoors were/are used on the gallows for hangings!
"pitfall/setback" is just not strong enough here (from what I see of the text anyway. So here I believe it is really about remaining ALERT/AWARE (mindful) all the time. So that you can actually "walk through the door without "falling through a trapdoor."
I’ve found some occurrences of “trapdoor” in other books that may hint at a different use of this word, a “stronger” use:
“The Psychiatric Dictionary defines nightmares as "a fright reaction during sleep,” but for anyone who has experienced a severe nightmare, it is more like falling through a trapdoor into a pit of horror and psychic nausea” ***
Instead of following his impulse to tell Fink and the police , the unsuspecting Gottlieb ( ' beloved of God ) hides the stones , thereby falling through a trapdoor into hell
I'm really torn between what seems the meaning of "trapdoor" - trap, setback - and the images the author portrays... Maybe, "trapdoor" is how he, as a therapist, sees the situation, whereas the description that follows - "dramatic changes" "something terrible will surprisingly and suddenly happen and we will be devastated" is from the point of view of the patient...
I think 'precipice' is too strong, and in any case, the wrong image. This kind of 'trapdoor' is an unseen hole in the floor / ground that you fall through by accident. I think the idea is very much 'trap', and possibly you might consider translation options around a word like 'pitfall', which is literally what this is: falling into a pit.
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Answers
7 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +4
pitfall
Explanation: This is an unusual use of "trapdoor". It's self-help speak, and another word, such as pitfall, would do just as well. The clue is there in "something terrible will surprisingly and suddenly happen".
It's also not the best of metaphors, because it's perfectly safe to walk on trapdoors if they're locked shut!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 9 mins (2022-07-14 16:06:56 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Or setback.
Just out of interest, does a literal translation work in Italian?
philgoddard United States Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 123
Grading comment
Thank you very much, Phil, for your help!
As I said in the Discussion, I'll try and use an "extended" version in the translation...maybe using the word "tunnel" (un tunnel pieno di insidie") to convey the image of actually falling through something..
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Phil, for your contribution. In Italian there is a word, "trabocchetto", which means "trapdoor" and "pitfall"... but it seems to me too "weak" in this case... In theory, it should be the right choice, but actually, as Yvonne says, the author talks about "something terrible".... In Italian, we have the word "baratro", which can mean literally "a deep opening in the earth's surface", but also has a metaphorical meaning as "abyss, precipice"... "precipitare nel baratro "
peer agreement (net): +4