What does "crisis of A" mean? What does "crisis of A" mean? I looked the word crisis up in my dictionary. Crisis means if I have crisis, I am being affected by some situation. So, I wonder if there

Harry

What does "crisis of A" mean? What does "crisis of A" mean? I looked the word crisis up in my dictionary. Crisis means if I have crisis, I am being affected by some situation. So, I wonder if there is the difference between crisis of A and A's crisis. Let me take a example. *Crisis of conscience Vs Conscience's crisis. The two both are the same. They mean conscience is hanging on the balance. I think. Is it right? And does "the crisis of inattention' mean the crisis is caused by in attention? help me know me about this question. :-)The recent Senate committee hearing on how General Motors dealt with its deadly ignition switch defect provides the latest glimpse into the crisis of inattention, deferral of responsibility, and lack of accountability that permeate America’s largest automaker. GM acknowledges, so far, that 13 people were killed as a result of more than a decade of institutional cover-up and negligence brought on by an imperious corporate culture. Clarence Ditlow, head of the well-regarded Center for Auto Safety, has predicted that the death toll will go into the hundreds.

Aug 4, 2014 7:50 PM

Answers · 9

Hi Terry, Crisis of conscience is far more common than conscience's crisis. In fact I have never heard anyone use conscience's crisis...it sounds like it might come from poetry and be a play on words perhaps? Anyway, crisis of conscience refers to when a person has a crisis...related to their conscience (something they did, guilt maybe?) I'm afraid I have never seen "the crisis of inattention" written or spoken.....does it relate to a specialist field, perhaps from an academic book? It certainly is very formal

August 4, 2014

I think in the overwhelming majority of cases, we use "an/the X crisis". Examples: economic crisis political crisis constitutional crisis environmental crisis debt crisis energy crisis international crisis national crisis personal crisis mid-life crisis These describe the "nature" of the crisis. To describe the "cause" of the crisis, we often use the formula "crisis of X". Examples; crisis of confidence crisis of management misconduct

August 4, 2014

An example of a crisis of conscience would be one triggered among Catholics by the issue of abortion. It is a moral crisis. (This is its nature).

August 4, 2014

By the same token, "a crisis of inattention" is a crisis whose underlying cause is "inattention" or "negligence". You would not describe it as "a negligence crisis". It is a corporate crisis (this is the nature of the crisis) for General Motors.

August 4, 2014

Still haven’t found your answers?

Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!