Bifurcation:
A division into two branches; a forking. …
Bifurcation is the act of splitting something into two branches, or an example of a situation where something splits or there is a fork.
Bifurcation is based on the verb bifurcate, which means to divide or fork into two branches. These words are most often used in technical and scientific contexts, such as engineering and medicine.
Example: The hiking trail has a bifurcation about three miles in; make sure you go down the left branch. [Dictionary.com]
It seems a bit odd that I’ve made it this far without really having much of a clue about bifurcation and its root.
Noted in the Feedback column, NewScientist (17 September 2022, paywall):
World Standards Day 2022 will soon be upon us. The public’s enthusiasm for this annual bifurcated event, which celebrates the technical rules and regulations that keep society running, seems undimmed by the covid-19 pandemic.
The bifurcation is geographical. This year, most of the world will celebrate World Standards Day on 14 October. This date is specified by a consortium of three groups: the International Organization for Standardization, the International Electrotechnical Commission and the International Telecommunication Union. The goal is to recognise the importance of international standards.
Meanwhile, the US Celebration of World Standards Day will take place on 13 October. Its date is specified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the official theme is “Sustaining the U.S. Standards Model and American Standards Leadership”.
Well. I think that’s a reprimand. Maybe.
