I came across the word "untriangulating" today, in this context:

"In short, Republicans can turn themselves back into the party of small government, however untriangulating that sounds."

Have you heard that word used? I couldn't find it in dictionary.com, onelook, and I found only 3 cites on Google, related to a technical use of the word with computers.

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
I came across the word "untriangulating" today, in this context:

"In short, Republicans can turn themselves back into the party of small government, however untriangulating that sounds."

Have you heard that word used? I couldn't find it in dictionary.com, onelook, and I found only 3 cites on Google, related to a technical use of the word with computers.

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I don't believe any such word exists. I can't even work out what it's supposed to mean in that quote. What did you take it to mean ?

Why should I let the toad work
Squat on my life ?
Can't I use my wit as a pitchfork
And drive the brute off ?
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It means whatever they intend for it to mean.

In other words, Humpty Dumpty was a Republican!

It sounds as if some writer wanted to appear very much more erudite than anyone who would read his column. Or maybe he's just trying to make up a new word...

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I can't even work out what it's supposed to mean in that quote. What did you take it to mean ?

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Well, thankfully, I am not as stupid as I thought I was. I couldn't figure it out from the context, either, but I was sure someone here would say that the meaning was obvious.

The author was Amity Shales, a syndicated columnist for the Financial Times. Her e-mail appeared at the end of the article, and I am going to e-mail her and ask her about the word.

I wonder if she meant it to mean circularity; that is, at one time, the Republicans (in her opinion) were a party of small government, now they have evolved to bigger government, but now it's time to turn back into smaller government.

BTW, great to see you here again, TrossL! We have missed you.

This word has two meanings, both cartographic.

The first is to divide an area into triangles for surveying purposes and the second is to measure area, height or distance using triangles.

So to "untriangulate" obviously must mean to remove the triangular divisions of an area (since it's not possible to "unmeasure" something).

Are the Republicans divided into triangles?

Richard English

Welcome back, Tross!

PS: I agree with you.

I'll just add my voice to the chorus. My guess is it's a made-up word. I can't for the life of me work out what it could mean, either. As RE has said, triangulation is a cartographic term, and it is used to find the position of a place or object on a map or chart. Perhaps "untriangulation" means getting lost?

Interesting discussion. I did e-mail the author and am waiting to hear from her. My logophile friend also had known the definition of "triangulation" used by surveyers. He also said that triangulating is used by surveyors when they cannot get a direct line of sight. I had never heard that definition nor the one used in cartography.

However, the definition of "triangulation" that I am familiar with is when researchers use different methods to answer a research question. For, example, the researcher may use a qualitative, survey, and quasi-experimental design, all to answer the same question. That is called triangulation of research methods and adds a richness to the findings.

Maybe she wants them to remove their coxcomb caps. Aren't they usually triangular?

TrossL, good to see they've found you and returned you to the asylum!

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