Having trouble understanding this sentence

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inquisitive5

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Even some of the misunderstandings that occur between men and women in the same culture are traceable to subtle, culturally influenced differences in their communication patterns.

What does it mean by traceable to subtle?
 

shroob

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Even some of the misunderstandings that occur between men and women in the same culture are traceable to subtle, culturally influenced differences in their communication patterns.

What does it mean by traceable to subtle?

Not a teacher but my suggestion is:
Traceable = due to
Subtle = hard to detect, small

In other words - 'Even some of the misunderstandings that occur between men and women in the same culture are due to small, culturally influenced differences in their communication patterns.

I think an example could be that if a woman was talking to some of her girl friends and said something sarcastically or as a joke, if she had said that to a man, it would have been misinterpreted and might have caused offense.
 

inquisitive5

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Not a teacher but my suggestion is:
Traceable = due to
Subtle = hard to detect, small

In other words - 'Even some of the misunderstandings that occur between men and women in the same culture are due to small, culturally influenced differences in their communication patterns.

I think an example could be that if a woman was talking to some of her girl friends and said something sarcastically or as a joke, if she had said that to a man, it would have been misinterpreted and might have caused offense.

Thanks a lot dude, I think I better understand it now.

So meaning that you can trace the misunderstandings to not obvious differences in their communication patterns.

Am I on the right track??
 

shroob

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Yes, I think you are.

Though I wouldn't say 'not obvious differences', it is right, but just doesn't sound correct to me. 'Small' or 'minor' I think would fit better eg. 'Meaning that you can trace the misunderstandings to small/minor differences in their communication patterns'

Or in fact subtle would probably fit better, but you have the meaning of the sentence correct (in my opinion anyway).

Hope this helps.
 

Tdol

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Thanks a lot dude, I think I better understand it now.

So meaning that you can trace the misunderstandings to not obvious differences in their communication patterns.

Am I on the right track??

Yes, but the author does say some of the misunderstandings.
 
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