Meaning of ところ in アメリカのいいところ


I feel as though I understand what the below sentence means, but what I think
it means makes no sense.

> 日本に行ったら、アメリカのいいところも発見できるかもしれないですね。

My translation: If you go to Japan, you might be able to discover good
American areas.

Is my translation correct? If so, why? If not, what would your translation be
and why?




I think what's throwing you off is that you're translating ところ too literally.
ところ does mean "place", but it can be used on a much more abstract level, such
as a point in time or a characteristic. For example:

> 学校へ行くところでした。- I was going to school. (Lit: I was at the point where I was
> going to school.)
>
> 彼は高慢なところがない。- He doesn't have any pride. (Lit: He has no places of pride.)

The ところ in your example isn't referring to literal places, but an abstract
place like in the examples above. It's referring to the _characteristics_ of
America.

I would translate it as:

> If you go to Japan, you might be able to discover the good points of
> America.

Where "points" refers to the characteristics of America.




I think what's throwing you off is that you're translating ところ too literally.
ところ does mean "place", but it can be used on a much more abstract level, such
as a point in time or a characteristic. For example:

> 学校へ行くところでした。- I was going to school. (Lit: I was at the point where I was
> going to school.)
>
> 彼は高慢なところがない。- He doesn't have any pride. (Lit: He has no places of pride.)

The ところ in your example isn't referring to literal places, but an abstract
place like in the examples above. It's referring to the _characteristics_ of
America.

I would translate it as:

> If you go to Japan, you might be able to discover the good points of
> America.

Where "points" refers to the characteristics of America.

