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Imagine a piece of paper on which you can draw some "regions". What do you call this act?

These words can probably better tell you what I mean, but I know they don't exist in English:

  • Regionize: I regionized the paper
  • Enregion: I enregioned the paper
  • Region itself as a verb(?): I regioned the paper

In reality, I am a programmer "enregioning" a skin. I would be happier if the verb had clear relation with "region", because that is the technical term I am using for those parts of the skin. That way, the "enregioner" would both have a meaningful name and one that makes users understand it is creating "regions"

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  • I have a feeling there is a technical term for what you are referring to as 'regions' of a skin. Will post an answer if I recall it.
    – Kris
    Commented Jan 19, 2012 at 7:21
  • 2
    Not really appropriate for this site, so I'm not making it an answer, but if you're using this in names or docs inside a program (i.e. not for end user consumption), don't feel bound by normal English usage! Something that isn't a real word but will obviously convey the meaning you want like "regionify" is superior in the programming context to a circumlocution or stretched synonym. I'd even argue that "regionify" would be superior to an adequate term like "partition" if you're using region as a technical term, since "partition" is more general so it tells you less.
    – Ben
    Commented Jan 19, 2012 at 21:49
  • @Ben, yeah, regionify sounds good!
    – Shahbaz
    Commented Jan 20, 2012 at 9:52
  • When on subject of verbs for dividing into regions, you may look into a very specific one: Gerrymandering.
    – SF.
    Commented Sep 26, 2014 at 11:26

8 Answers 8

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The verb I would use is regionalize. This would not refer to a "paper" partitioning, but rather dividing a country on a map for the purposes of say, marketing.

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  • '''Regionalize''' is the only real choice if you want to an obvious connection to "region". The definition is "to divide into regions". It has been around since at least the 1920s according to Merriam-Webster Online. It is usually used in the context of creating administrative/marketing regions, although there is no reason it could not be used in other contexts.
    – Kevin Cathcart
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 19:15
  • @KevinCathcart: That is exactly why it is my choice.
    – Tom Au
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 20:00
17

You may use

I partitioned the paper.

or

I divided the paper (into segments, sections, regions, etc.)

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10
  • Thanks. Would you please check out my edit?
    – Shahbaz
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 14:16
  • 3
    Your edit doesn't affect the answer. If the Roman empire can partition Spain, you can partition a skin :)
    – slim
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 14:23
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    @Shahbaz you could decide that the results of the operation are partitions.
    – slim
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 14:31
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    @Shahbaz: since this is for a program, not for text (an article or paper) you can name it whatever you want. Trying to pin down the exact semantics for a class or function name is commendable but in the end, the class/function will have more in it than is expressible in the name. 'DividingIntoRegions' comes close, modern IDE's have cutandpaste and possibly autosuggest.
    – Mitch
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 14:50
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    @Shahbaz: skinRegionDivisionBegin/End. A gerund isn't the only or best way to form a noun referring to a process.
    – Ben Voigt
    Commented Jan 19, 2012 at 5:29
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You could partition the item into partitions.

You could segment the item into segments.

You could divide the item into divisions.

You could apportion into portions.

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  • You can lot the item into lots, or slice the item into slices. You can sectionalize the item into sections.
    – MetaEd
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 15:15
2

I would personally use demarcate, I think it's probably closer to what you are looking for

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1

In the context of computer graphics and modeling, terms like mesh generation, mesh triangulation , triangulation, and optimal triangulation are frequently used, and grid generation occasionally. If all the regions on your paper are triangles, triangulation would be a good choice.

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  • Since triangulation has another meaning, I think it could be confusing to users.
    – Julia
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 23:50
  • The regions are of arbitrary shape and size, they might not even be continuous. They are defined by the user so non of "triangulation" or "generation" seem appropriate
    – Shahbaz
    Commented Jan 19, 2012 at 13:21
0

You may make use of the term "contour" or "contouring"

contour : To make or shape the outline of; represent in contour.

or

create / establish / designate zone

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  • I would avoid "contour" in the poster's context, because in that "mathsy" context, its definition of "A line joining points on a diagram at which some property has the same value" would hold more often.
    – slim
    Commented Jan 18, 2012 at 14:42
  • contour is vertical, region is horizontal!
    – Kris
    Commented Jan 19, 2012 at 7:17
0

Partition or demarcate seem adequate, but if there is more to the resultant program-areas or divisions than mere topography, then allocate might be useful.

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0

You might consider, sectionalize

-·ized·, -·iz·ing

  1. to make sectional

  2. to divide into sections, esp. geographical sections

Webster's New World College Dictionary

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