TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

ACTUALISTIC APPROACH [1 record]

Record 1 2006-05-03

English

Subject field(s)
  • Geology
DEF

The fundamental principle or doctrine that geologic processes and natural laws now operating to modify the Earth's crust have acted in the same regular manner and with essentially the same intensity throughout geologic time, and that past geologic events can be explained by phenomena and forces observable today; the classical concept that "the present is the key to the past."

OBS

The meaning [of uniformitarianism] has evolved and today the principle of uniformitarianism acknowledges that past processes, even if the same as today, may have operated at different rates and with different intensities than those of the present. The term "actualism" is sometimes used to designate this later meaning. "The present is the key to the past" is a shorthand reference to the principle of uniformitarianism.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Géologie
DEF

Raisonnement scientifique attribuant une cause unique à chaque phénomène, parfois utilisé comme synonyme de «actualisme».

DEF

Doctrine suivant laquelle toutes les forces et tous les phénomènes géologiques qui prirent place dans le passé peuvent être expliqués par des phénomènes et des événements encore actifs aujourd'hui.

CONT

Dès 1830, Charles Lyell (1797-1875) proclamait le principe de l'Uniformitarisme selon lequel, aujourd'hui comme hier, les mêmes causes avaient les mêmes effets [...]

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Geología
DEF

Teoría que supone que los procesos geológicos de tiempos pasados se han desarrollado con características semejantes a las de la actualidad, pero con intensidades y combinaciones posiblemente distintas.

Save record 1

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Features

Language Portal of Canada

Access a collection of Canadian resources on all aspects of English and French, including quizzes.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: