contigous

[vil]

Dear teachers,

This morning I read the article "Bush Outlines Mideast Peace Plan" where I found again an "ambiguous" word. (Please see the following excerpt bellow).

"At the same time, he emphasized that a New Palestine would have to be, "viable, contiguous, sovereign and independent", a stance somewhat at odds with Israel desires to retain some security controls even after a treaty."

I know that "contiguous" have a few different meaning:

1. very close or connected in space or time "contiguous events"
2. connecting without a break, within a common boundary "the contiguous 48 states"
3. having a common boundary or edge,

I think, it will be better and clear to use some of the synonyms of contiguous, as: adjacent, neighboring, conterminous.

Would you be so kind to tell me what meaning of the word "contiguous" was used by the American author Steven Lee Myers.

Thank you in advance for your efforts.

Regards.

V.

 

[redcrows]

"At the same time, he emphasized that a New Palestine would have to be, "viable, contiguous, sovereign and independent", a stance somewhat at odds with Israel desires to retain some security controls even after a treaty."

I believe this author feels that Palestine should be one continuous piece of land instead of being divided into the West Bank and the Gaza strip.

 

[vil]

Hi redcrows,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

If I have understood you properly, you emphasized on the meaning Nr.2 "connecting without a break, within a boundary "the contiguous states"

Probably you mean to say that Palestine will be "contiguous" on the analogy of Texas, which was first explored by Spanish, long time was needed as a buffer to French expansion, then became a province of Mexico and later won their independence from Mexico in 1836 when Sam Houston was elected President of the Republic of Texas. After a 10-years struggle to remain independent, Texas became 28th U.S state in 1845. Its boundary with Mexico was fixed after the Mexican War (1848) .

If Texas is outside of the contiguous states, that simply means that it is not physically attached to the rest of the United States. As a matter of fact Texas is a contiguous state of U.S. Alaska and Hawaii are not in the contiguous United States.

When you see a map of North America you will notice that the most of the United States is all grouped together with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south- the part between Canada and Mexico is the contiguous 48 states.

Hawaii is an island in the Pacific ocean and does not border any other state. Alaska is separated from the contiguous 48 states by the western part of Canada.

Thank you again for your attention as well as for your kindness.

Regards.

V.