turning point / caesura
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turning point
A marked break or turning point in a development, in history, or in a person's life that marks a clear change.
Der Fall der Berliner Mauer war eine historische Zäsur für Deutschland und Europa.
The fall of the Berlin Wall was a historic turning point for Germany and Europe.
caesura
In poetry or music, a rhythmic break or pause within a verse or musical phrase.
Der Redner nutzte eine deutliche Zäsur in seinem Satz, um die Spannung zu erhöhen.
The speaker used a clear caesura in his sentence to increase the tension.
The word 'Zäsur' (turning point / caesura) belongs to elevated written language. It is often used in formal, academic, or journalistic texts to describe an important turning point.
Der Tod des Firmengründers stellte eine tiefe Zäsur für das Unternehmen dar.
The death of the company founder represented a profound turning point for the company.
To emphasize the significance of the break, 'Zäsur' (turning point) is often combined with strong adjectives such as 'historisch' (historic), 'tief' (deep/profound), 'einschneidend' (drastic), or 'deutlich' (clear).
Die Einführung des Internets war eine einschneidende Zäsur für die Medienbranche.
The introduction of the internet was a drastic turning point for the media industry.
Common verbs used with 'Zäsur' (turning point) in this meaning are 'darstellen' (to represent), 'bedeuten' (to mean), and 'markieren' (to mark).
Diese Entscheidung markiert eine Zäsur in der Politik des Landes.
This decision marks a turning point in the country's politics.
You can recognize this meaning from the context: when it is about poems, pieces of music, or speeches, it refers to a short pause or rhythmic break.
In der Musik kann eine Zäsur die emotionale Wirkung einer Melodie verstärken.
In music, a caesura can intensify the emotional effect of a melody.
break / pause
In music, Pause refers to a notation symbol for silence of a specific duration. Zäsur, by contrast, is a rhythmic break that structures a musical phrase and does not necessarily require the same clearly defined silence.
Der Komponist setzt an dieser Stelle eine Zäsur, um die musikalische Phrase zu gliedern.
The composer places a caesura here to structure the musical phrase.
Der Komponist setzt an dieser Stelle eine Pause von zwei Schlägen.
The composer places a rest lasting two beats here.
