boundary vs. borderline

[Arteberlina]

The hardest thing in a foreign language is the appropriate use of words in specific contexts ...

Here - the difference between boundary and borderline

The original sentence goes like this:
"The boundary/borderline between the different levels of meaning was intentionally blurred."

I personally tend towards borderline but I have nothing to base this on.

Any opinion out there? Thank you as always ...

 

[Raymott]

I don't think either of those words is appropriate in the sentence. If there are "two levels of meaning" they should be discrete; there would not be a boundary between them that one could approach from either side. The sentence (or whatever we are dealing with) might be ambiguous, but that's a quantum leap from one interpretation to the other, not a slow creep toward a blurred borderline. Maybe "The different meanings were intentionally blurred" would solve the problem.

 

[Arteberlina]

Hallo Raymott,

I totally see what you are aiming at and appreciate a lot! The different levels of meaning are e.g. social, biographical and aesthetic. Although I called them different levels they are not in a physical sense. They are discrete on a level of interpretation but blurred in real life and I am missing something with just saying "The different meanings were intentionally blurred"

Maybe something with realm instead of level because I agree on this not being sharp ... ?

 

[Raymott]

If you've given anough context, eg. if you already stated that there are different 'levels or realms' of meaning, then I think that's enough justification for using your original sentence. In any case, I think "boundary" is the better term for this sort of thing, because you can have broad or blurred boundaries, but a blurred borderline is still a line.
None of this is critical though. It's a matter of style, and it's just my opinion.

 

[Tdol]

The different categories of meaning?

 

[Arteberlina]

I see what you mean ... maybe I have to reconsider the term 'level' then ... I will revisit the phrase. Thank you.

 

[Arteberlina]

categories ... possibly

and then ... would you go with borderline or boundary?

 

[SoothingDave]

Either word would work.