Where did this strange word - “level out” - penetrate into the Russian language? Now the media is full of this term. But sometimes its meaning changes from positive to negative, and vice versa. For example: "The military conflict leveled the value of human life." In this case, the term is used as clearly negative. That is, the value of the individual as such is destroyed. But is it possible to equate the terms “level” and “eliminate”? In another case, we read: "The fall of the dollar was offset by investment injections." Here, the term means “smooth.” Leveling - this means neutralizing some negative processes. And technical literature puzzles us completely. It turns out that leveling is actively engaged by surveyors and builders. And they do it with the help of a specific device. It is called a level. Read about the origin of the term, its various meanings and use cases in this article.
French-Russian metamorphoses
Some researchers believe that “leveling” is a German word. But it came to us through the French. In the homeland of the musketeers, the strict term nivellieren, which denoted “align,” began to be used very widely. So, there are two main patterns of use. The first was very close to niveau - "water level". The term meant the calculation of the difference from some reference point - for example, ocean level. The second word - "niveler" implied "smoothing, eliminating differences, roughnesses." In Russian, a Slavic ending was attached to a foreign root, and the term began to be exploited in both meanings. Hence the confusion. Well, now let's figure out what it means to level.
Technical term
In geography and geodesy, the word “level” is a very unambiguous term, devoid of any mysterious ambiguity. It involves a process as a result of which it is possible to calculate the difference in heights relative to any selected landmark. Most often, such a starting point is the level of the oceans. You can level using different instruments: theodolite and total station, barometer and hydrostatically communicating vessels, echo sounders and radars. When leveling a site under a building, builders are guided not by sea level, but by a certain cornerstone. With the help of level and rails, they make a geometric study of the area to identify differences in elevation.
Leveling is smoothing
What do builders do when it turns out that they will have to build a house on an inclined surface? That's right, they align this site. They tear the earth from a high point and fall asleep to a low level. So instead of the usual slope you get a flat terrace. From builders, the word migrated into spoken language. It means “smooth out negative differences”, “eliminate unnecessary discrepancies”. What synonyms or sayings carry the same meaning? This is “come to a common denominator in the dispute” (to smooth out the contradictions in the discussion with the help of compromise mutual concessions). The word is also used as a synonym for the word “alignment”. It is also used in a negative way. Here is a simple example: "Inflation levels out wage growth." Here, the proverb “sewed on soap” is close in meaning.
Leveling is depersonalizing
In colloquial speech, the term adopted a completely radical meaning. Elimination of differences in elevation at the construction site has grown into the destruction of individual features, depersonalization. The term carries a pronounced negative semantic meaning. It is used as a synonym for “egalitarianism”. For example: "Globalization eliminates national cultural differences." In the Russian language there are many sayings that accurately convey the meaning of this concept. Here, and "cut under one comb", and "bring under one ranking", and "fit under one color." In contrast to the maxim “Effective measures by the Ministry of Emergencies, they mitigated the consequences of natural disasters for the population”, this meaning of the term can never be used in a positive way.
Zero and destroy
But what about the “leveling of the value of human life” we mentioned earlier? Here the term takes on a new meaning. In this case, “leveling” the meaning is “nullify”, “destroy”. Here the synonym is the term “eliminate”, but smoothly, progressively. Here is a simple example: “Over the decade of the current regime’s rule, there has been a significant leveling of rights and freedoms.” That is, we are rather talking about depreciation. But not every destruction is negative. In the “elimination” key, such leveling can be used as a positive translational process. One example can be cited: "Mr. Namerek, appointed to the post of head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is called upon to neutralize the negative image of the police among the people." As you can see, the term is ambiguous, and you need to use it wisely.