gap / chasm
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gap
A large, often unbridgeable difference or deep divide between people, groups, opinions, or conditions.
Die soziale Kluft zwischen Arm und Reich wird in vielen Ländern immer größer.
The social gap between rich and poor is growing ever larger in many countries.
You can recognize the meaning of 'Kluft' from the context. Abstract words like 'sozial' (social), 'arm' (poor), and 'reich' (rich) point to the figurative meaning (difference). Words like 'Fels' (rock), 'tief' (deep), and 'Berg' (mountain) point to the geological crack. Words like 'tragen' (to wear), 'Handwerker' (craftsman), and 'traditionell' (traditional) point to clothing.
Die Kluft zwischen den Generationen scheint zu wachsen.
The gap between the generations seems to be growing.
In the figurative meaning, 'Kluft' is very often used in the construction 'die Kluft zwischen' + dative to describe the contrast between two groups or concepts.
Es gibt eine tiefe Kluft zwischen der Regierung und Teilen der Bevölkerung.
There is a deep gap between the government and parts of the population.
Common adjectives are 'soziale' (social), 'wirtschaftliche' (economic), or 'digitale Kluft' (digital divide). Typical verbs are 'eine Kluft überbrücken' (to bridge a gap), 'vertiefen' (to deepen), or 'verringern' (to reduce).
Bildung kann helfen, die soziale Kluft zu überbrücken.
Education can help bridge the social gap.
This meaning is very specific and refers to the traditional work clothes of journeymen craftsmen, especially when they are traveling on the 'Walz' (traditional journeyman years). The Kluft is an important symbol of their guild.
Man erkennt die Gesellen auf der Walz sofort an ihrer charakteristischen Kluft.
You can immediately recognize journeymen on the Walz by their distinctive traditional work clothes.
difference
'der Unterschied' and 'die Kluft' can both describe the fact that two things, people, or groups are not the same. 'der Unterschied' is neutral and can be small or large. It is used in almost all situations when comparing two things. 'die Kluft', on the other hand, means a very large difference or a deep divide, often between groups, opinions, or life situations. The words can be confused because both describe a distance or gap. If the distance is being described only objectively, 'Unterschied' fits. If the distance is strong, hard to bridge, or socially important, 'Kluft' fits better.
Die Kluft zwischen armen und reichen Familien wird in der Stadt immer größer.
The gap between poor and rich families in the city is getting bigger and bigger.
Meine Freundin hat den Unterschied zwischen den beiden Kursen sofort verstanden.
My friend immediately understood the difference between the two courses.