Disparaging gap between the rich and the poor

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Ericlai

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Is this a formal phrase?
What does "disparaging" mean here?


Another question

Nepotism is a problematic system, causing the society it infects, to repeat its transgressions.
What does "it"refer to,and what does "repeat transgression"
 
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Raymott

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No, it's not a formal phrase.
It's impossible to say what it means without a context. Where did you see it, and what does it say about this gap? (At least a full sentence is needed).
 

Ericlai

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I saw it from the dub movie of Detective Conan.
Perhaps it was some kind of direct translation from Japanese

Thanks for your reply
 

Lynxear

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I believe I have the answer now that you identify this as a Japanese translation

Using Google Translate

"disparaging gap" is translated to " 乖離するギャップ"

when I take the Japanese translation and translate it back to English I get something different

" 乖離するギャップ" is translated to "Gap to diverge"

This appears to be a bad translation of the phrase and it should be "Diverging gap between the rich and the poor". Diverging here means widening or growing. This makes sense.

Please and I say this to all English learners. DO NOT just give us the phrase that you don't understand. Provide a complete sentence so that we may see the context in which the phrase was used. In this case, the mystery is solved by knowing that this is a Japanese translation to English and direct translations from Asian languages to English are fraught with errors.
 

Charlie Bernstein

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In English, there's no such thing as a disparaging gap. People can disparage. Gaps can't. Dismaying or discouraging might work, depending on the context.
 

Charlie Bernstein

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Nepotism is a problematic system [no comma] that causes [Brits would say which causes] the society it infects [no comma] to repeat its transgressions.
What does "it"refer to, [space]and what does "repeat transgression"

It refers to nepotism.

Have you looked up repeat? What is confusing about it?

Have you looked up transgress or transgression? It's an odd word choice for talking about a society, but it's okay. What is confusing you?

Problematic is an overused word that makes speakers seem verbose and unoriginal.

Does nepotism cause societies to repeat their transgressions? Maybe sometimes, but is it automatic or inevitable?

Where did you get the sentence?
 
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