epicenter

Example: Hong Kong is not the only place affected. Reports in Australia this month blamed Chinese customers for a shortage of formula in supermarkets and pharmacies, causing some outlets to ration sales.

Source: Hong Kongers turn to Obama over milk shortage fears

Pardon me for delving into this topic, but I've been following this crisis every day because it's too close for comfort and I thought I might as well take this as an opportunity to learn a few correct English usages. 👁 Smile :)


Since local people in Hong Kong and Australia are seriously affect by sky-high demand for fed-safe infant formula from China, is it okay to say "Hong Kong and Australia are the epicenters of infant formula shortage"? Normally, I'd expect "epicenter" to be related to natural disaster. But I was wonder if "epicenter" could be used for man-made disaster/crisis like that for dramatic effect.

I understand the image but I do not find it very logical. 'Shortage' is a static state of affairs. 'Epicentre' suggests something spreading radially outwards from the epicentre, possibly tremors. In other words, there is a clash between static and dynamic in this image. I would not use it. Others might...

I've always associated this word exclusively with earthquakes, but there's no reason you couldn't use it metaphorically as you have.

I'm with boozer; epicentre/er doesn't feel right; there is no physical or even figurative damage - it is a little over-dramatic. "Focuses" would work.

You can certainly use it metaphorically (the hospital was the epicenter of the epidemic), but an epicenter is a point of origin or a source. For something to have an origin that implies that it has moved from there to other places which doesn't seem to fit well.
Additionally, Chinese consumers not in Hong Kong or Australia seem to be the source of the shortage.

"epicenter" is one of the most misused words in the news world today (along with penultimate)

Although ëpicenter" might be used as a metaphor, most users outside of an earthquake context, are far too clueless to consider its use and just think it's a really hip word for "middle."

To add insult to injury, Cable News Network (CNN), reporting on a large earthquake a couple of years ago, said the "epicenter" was seven miles beneath the earth's surface.👁 Eek! :eek:


Merriam-Webster, always quick to try to legalize misused words, simply defines epicenter as "center."

(Merriam-Webster uses what I call a "cow and duck" approach, which is to say that if you call a cow a "duck" long enough, eventually the cow will begin to quack.)

is it okay to say "Hong Kong and Australia are the epicenters of infant formula shortage"?

Udder 👁 Smile :)
nonsense, in my opinion.