Talk:Continental drift

Debate
I see we have had a slight difference of opinion over these two phrases. It is my understanding that continental drift takes place and that it is driven by plate tectonics. In which case the second phrase is correct. On the other hand, if the fist phrase is correct and continental drift is no longer the correct term then much of the article needs to be rewritten. Could somebody tell me why we shouldn't have the first phrase?--BobSpring is sprung! 18:15, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
 * continental drift was superceded by the theory of plate tectonics
 * continental drift became part of the theory of plate tectonics
 * Sorry for the trouble over simple phrasing Bob. I will refer the article to my geologist father who might be able to clarify more than I. If there is a geologist or geophysicist lurking, that would do also. It's barely worth the trouble, but I lost a good hour of my life being lectured on the finer points during a long drive into the desert.--Brendiggg (talk) 18:24, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
 * OK, I've changed it back to included in until such time that you've had word with your father. :-)--BobSpring is sprung! 18:56, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
 * I haven't contributed to this article (other than one ancient revert) but when I was a student during the early 70s I recall my marine geology lecturer quibbling over the difference. He was still a drifter and didn't support the idea of plates. So I would say that continental drift (the idea that the continents move around) developed into plate tectonics. Wegener's theory was that the continents ploughed around the sea floors rather than moving with them as is currently accepted.  19:36, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
 * That may have been the original meaning (I don't know) but the modern idea is of continents being moved by plate tectonics. It seems to be how WP uses the term at least.--BobSpring is sprung! 19:43, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
 * In modern usage they are really synonymous as continental drift is the major subset of plate tectonics - previously there was a distinction 19:57, 3 February 2011 (UTC)
 * OK, to be fair, perhaps we should make it clearer that one is the more modern term - or perhaps that one is more of a layman's term and the other is more technical.--BobSpring is sprung! 20:09, 3 February 2011 (UTC)

The last sentence - the continents don't move very fast - is not up to RW standards (unless it has escaped from Simple English RW) 212.85.6.26 (talk) 18:33, 3 February 2011 (UTC)

Is it a problem...
...that I pronounce the Juan de Fuca plate as "John the Fucker"? The Heidelberg Kid (talk) 00:49, 12 December 2011 (UTC)