Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2024 January 2

= January 2 =

Term for opening synthetic raffia string
The string in the picture is made a ribbon of polypropylene somewhat folded into a strand. The strand can be carefully opened to show the ribbon as shown.

Can someone please suggest an appropriate verb to describe this opening process?

I've thought of "unravel", "open" and "flatten" but they don't exactly convey the meaning.

Thanks, cm&#610;&#671;ee&#9094;&#964;a&#671;&#954; 12:43, 2 January 2024 (UTC)


 * untwine "to separate the individual strands" Crash48 (talk) 13:18, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Thanks, though it's not made of separate strands, but rather a single ribbon that is folded or compressed lengthwise into a roughly cylindrical string. cm&#610;&#671;ee&#9094;&#964;a&#671;&#954; 13:47, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * How about "unfold" or "unwind"? My favourite would be "extricate", but that's just me. --Wrongfilter (talk) 13:56, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Thanks, Wrongfilter. As the string is coiled into a reel, "unfold" or "unwind" might mislead the reader that I meant the string uncoiling from the reel, instead of the string itself being unwrapped lengthwise into a ribbon. cm&#610;&#671;ee&#9094;&#964;a&#671;&#954; 14:21, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * What's the verb commonly used with balls of yarn (without a reel)? Could it simply be "pull out"? --Wrongfilter (talk) 14:25, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * "Unfold and flatten out the individual cylindrical ribbon strings"? Martinevans123 (talk) 14:26, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Yes, I think that best describes it, though it's quite a mouthful for a caption! cm&#610;&#671;ee&#9094;&#964;a&#671;&#954; 14:41, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * You could just reduce it to “flatten out” in the caption and explain it fully in the article text. ◅ Sebastian Helm 🗨 08:25, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * un-ply is absent from dictionaries, but seems to be used online with the meaning that you're after. 2A00:A041:3BA3:F400:A14C:F85E:8370:6E3F (talk) 19:42, 2 January 2024 (UTC)
 * It's a good thought, but I think this would also be miseading, since 'ply' usually refers to a 'string' made up of several strands or 'plies' twisted together, as in "three-ply", etc.
 * "Longitudinally uncurl" is my best suggestion. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 51.198.104.88 (talk) 04:52, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * "Untwist" or "uncrumple"? -- Verbarson talkedits 11:16, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * I think the verb "unfurl" was devised for this situation. 2A00:23C7:9CC0:F901:E5FB:171C:8FDE:8F18 (talk) 13:02, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Many thanks, everyone. I've decided to use "longitudinally unfurled" in Raffia_palm. cm&#610;&#671;ee&#9094;&#964;a&#671;&#954; 04:41, 4 January 2024 (UTC)
 * True collaboration at work. {The poster formerly knwn as 87.81.230.195} 51.198.104.88 (talk) 08:03, 4 January 2024 (UTC)