Conflation: meaning, definitions and examples

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conflation

 

[kษ™nหˆfleษช.สƒษ™n ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

combining ideas

Conflation is the act of merging two or more distinct concepts or items into one. This can often lead to confusion or misinterpretation as the individual characteristics may be lost in the process.

Synonyms

amalgamation, blending, merger.

Examples of usage

  • The conflation of science and pseudoscience can mislead the public.
  • In literature, conflation of themes is often used to create depth.
  • The conflation of different historical events alters our perception of history.
Context #2 | Noun

data processing

In data management, conflation refers to the process of integrating data from different sources, which may involve resolving inconsistencies or duplicates. This is essential for maintaining accurate databases.

Synonyms

integration, synthesis, unification.

Examples of usage

  • The conflation of datasets improved the accuracy of the analysis.
  • Data conflation requires careful handling to avoid error propagation.
  • The software automates the conflation of user records.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The term originates from the Latin word 'conflatio,' which means 'a blowing together' or 'combining'.
  • The prefix 'con-' means 'together', while 'flation' derives from 'flatus', meaning 'blow', showing how this word implies a joining process.
  • In the 16th century, the word began to be used in English, primarily in philosophical discussions about combining ideas.

Psychology

  • In cognitive psychology, conflation can occur when individuals mistakenly blend memories or experiences, leading to inaccurate recall.
  • This can be related to the misinformation effect, where new, misleading information affects our memory of an event.
  • Conflation can also influence decision-making processes, as people may treat different situations or concepts as if they are the same, resulting in flawed reasoning.

Communication

  • In debate or discussion, conflation can muddy the waters, making it harder for participants to agree or to distinguish between different viewpoints.
  • Politicians sometimes conflate issues to simplify arguments, but this can lead to misunderstandings among the public.
  • Effective communicators strive to avoid conflation to ensure clarity and prevent misinterpretation of their messages.

Literature

  • Authors often use conflation as a literary device to blend character traits or themes, enhancing depth in storytelling.
  • In postmodern literature, conflating genres can challenge readers' expectations and encourage critical thinking about definitions and boundaries.
  • Poets may conflate images or ideas to create new meanings, inviting readers to interpret verses in multiple ways.

Technology

  • In data science, conflation can lead to data integrity issues, where different datasets are improperly merged, resulting in cleaning headaches.
  • Big data analytics must carefully avoid conflating categories to ensure accuracy in reporting and insights.
  • Conflation of algorithms in machine learning can occur, causing model predictions to be less reliable because similar inputs are treated as the same.

Translations

Translations of the word "conflation" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น confusรฃo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเค‚เคฒเคฏเคจ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Verschmelzung

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ penggabungan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะทะปะธั‚ั‚ั

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ zlanie

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ่žๅˆ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท fusion

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ fusiรณn

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท birleลŸtirme

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์œตํ•ฉ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุฏู…ุฌ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ slouฤenรญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ zlรบฤenie

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅˆๅนถ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ zdruลพitev

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ sameining

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฑั–ั€ั–ะบั‚ั–ั€ัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒจแƒ”แƒ แƒฌแƒงแƒ›แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ birlษ™ลŸmษ™

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ fusiรณn

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,858, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.