[Vocabulary] Dark Waters

[Iliaa]

Hi,

I watched a movie called (Dark Waters)

And I was wondering about the meaning of the phrase (dark waters).
Water is transparent, so how come it is called dark?

1- Does that mean the water is dirty, so it looks dark?

2- Or does it mean that it is night time, so water looks dark because of that?

3- Or does it mean that the water is deep, and one can not see in it, so it is dark.

Thanks

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi,

I watched a movie called "Dark Waters" and I was wondering about the meaning of [STRIKE]the phrase[/STRIKE] "dark waters".
Water is transparent, so how come it is called dark?

1- Does that mean the water is dirty, so it looks dark? Possibly.

2- [STRIKE]Or[/STRIKE] Does it mean that it is night time, so water looks dark? [STRIKE]because of that?[/STRIKE] Possibly.

3- [STRIKE]Or[/STRIKE] Does it mean that the water is deep, and one can not see in it, so it is dark. Possibly.

Thanks.

[STRIKE][/STRIKE]

Please note my corrections above. It's impossible for us to say why the film is called that! What was the plot? Was water involved? It's possible it's completely metaphorical!

Note that we don't enclose titles in brackets. You can put film titles in quotation marks as I have done above, or you could italicise the title.

 

[Iliaa]

Thank you emsr2d2 for the corrections, appreciate it.
The movie does not have any reference to water.
But regardless of the movie, is the expression "dark waters" used in English?
I've been searching, and only found: troubled waters, murky waters, muddy waters.

I just want to know if the phrase "dark waters" on its own means something.
If it does not, then we shall assume that it is a metaphor.
Thanks.

 

[Tarheel]

Thank you emsr2d2 for the corrections. I appreciate them.
The movie does not have any reference to water.
But regardless of the movie, is the expression "dark waters" used in English?
I've been searching, and only found: troubled waters, murky waters, muddy waters.

I just want to know if the phrase "dark waters" on its own means something.
If it does not, then we shall assume that it is a metaphor.
Thanks.

Dark waters only means to me that the water is dark. If we are not actually talking about water it would have to be a metaphor.

Are you going to put "Thanks" in every post?

 

[jutfrank]

From a quick glance at the plot of the movie (here), I see that the film involves a corporation called DuPont, which has some connection to PFOAs (see here)—chemicals that lower the surface tension of water.

I imagine that the title Dark Waters has reference to water containing this type of chemical, as well as a further metaphorical reference. It elicits to me a sense of danger, but as emsr2d2 says, we can't really say confidently without having watched the film.

 

[Skrej]

Large bodies of water turning dark usually portends a brewing storm. Also, big (and potentially dangerous) sea animals tend to live in deeper water, where the light doesn't reach.

We're inherently scared of things that live in the dark (land or sea) where we can't see them.

Hence 'dark waters' can be used as a metaphor for danger, imminent or imagined.