[Vocabulary] although he was publishing from his stronghold down in Kent

[nininaz]

Hello all,
I want to know what does 'bold text' mean?!



Here’s Dr Patricia Fara, senior tutor at Clare College Cambridge. She tells us why Darwin was so successful:

"He brought his allies on board. And although he was publishing from his stronghold down in Kent he had the most famous, most prominent, eminent members of the scientific society in Victorian times who were pushing on his behalf. Having a scientific theory being accepted is not just a matter of whether the theory’s right."


Source: BBC learning English
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-150827

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm sure you know what "he was publishing" means. He was doing it from a location in Kent and that location is referred to as his "stronghold". Did you look that word up in a dictionary?

 

[Matthew Wai]

As TheParser has participated, I hope I may also participate, but I am not a teacher.

Yesterday when I saw 'although', it sounded to me as if 'And although he was publishing from his stronghold down in Kent (which already gave him an advantage), he had the most famous, most prominent, eminent members (who gave him a further advantage) of the scientific society in Victorian times who were pushing on his behalf.'

 

[Eckaslike]

I think that's right Matthew.

The "although" means that even though he was publishing from his home base in Kent, a place where one might expect to receive a lot of support, it was not that advantage which gained his theory acceptance. The author believes the main reason his theory was successfully accepted was because of all the help he had from people within the scientific establishment.

Almost along the lines of the old adage "It's not [just] what you know, it's who you know".

 

[nininaz]

I am sorry I don't know what the 'he was publishing' means. Is that mean "he became well-known'?!
Yes I looked up 'stronghold' in dictionary. why the 'down' was used along with 'stronghold'?!

2: a place where the majority of people have the same political or religiousbeliefs
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/stronghold

 

[Matthew Wai]

I don't know what the 'he was publishing' means.

I think it means 'he was publishing his theory', but I am not a teacher.

 

[Rover_KE]

It means 'he was putting his theory into print and spreading it around the scientific community'.

'Down' is used as Kent is a county in the south of England.