edit (2/18/2010): The ideas below are out-of-date. The new proposed terms are listed and defined in the Nodeology wiki at http://nodeology.pbworks.com/Bindings-Terms.Playing around with some more ideas:
N.TAIL_END = The end of the N.CORDAGE which is used in tying an N.KNOT. Traditionally referred to as the Working End, Bitter End, or Running End.
Reasoning: TAIL_END seems more descriptive and familiar than Working End, Bitter End, or Running End. This term is easily grasped and remembered because people understand such things as "the tail end of the line" or "the tail end of the lecture," etc.
N.EXIT_PART = The part of the N.CORDAGE which exits the N.KNOT and ends at the N.TAIL_END.
Reasoning: This terminology creates a matching pair with N.ENTRY_PART.
N.ENTRY_PART = The part of the N.CORDAGE which enters the N.KNOT at the opposite end from the N.EXIT_PART ("opposite" in the sense that one part of a rope
enters into a knot, and another part of the rope
exits from the knot). Traditionally referred to as the Standing Part.
Reasoning: "Standing Part" is not very intuitive. ENTRY_PART and EXIT_PART create a matching pair of terms which should help make their meanings more descriptive and intuitive. I also like MAIN_PART as a replacement for Standing Part, but imagine if we tie a series of knots along a rope (working towards the end of the rope). On each successive knot, where's "the Standing Part" or "the Main Part of the rope"? Is it the part of the rope which is beyond our first knot in the series? ENTRY_PART is perhaps more intuitive because it describes the section of rope which comes immediately before ("entering into") the knot which we're currently tying.
N.LOOP = The oval-shaped length of N.CORDAGE which remains after certain N.KNOTS are tied (e.g. Bowline). Useful for throwing over a post, or for clipping onto with an attachment such as a carabiner, and so on. Traditionally referred to as a Loop or an Eye.
Reasoning: "Eye" is sometimes used for the oval-shaped length of cordage, but "Eye" gives the impression of smallness (for example, no land creature has an eye which is as big as the loop that we usually form with a Bowline). "Loop" has at least two meanings in traditional terminology, but in Nodology we're replacing one of those meanings with something like N.TURN(2 hR) or N.REVOLUTION(1). Therefore, N.LOOP is intuitive and descriptive and unique.
I'm starting to think that my terminology of "1 REVOLUTION" should probably be "N.REVOLUTION(1)" instead. In addition, perhaps N.REVOLUTION(1, CROSS_OVER) and N.REVOLUTION(1, CROSS_UNDER) can replace the traditional "Overhand Loop" and "Underhand Loop," respectively. "CROSS_OVER" means that the N.TAIL_END crosses over the N.ENTRY_PART (from the perspective of the knot-tyer). "CROSS_UNDER" means that the N.TAIL_END crosses under the N.ENTRY_PART (from the perspective of the knot-tyer).
This new terminology seems to work fairly well, even though we still have a number of gaps to be filled. For example:
"To tie a Bowline, form an N.REVOLUTION(1, CROSS_OVER) in the air and push the N.TAIL_END through the hole in the N.REVOLUTION to create an N.LOOP, then bring the N.TAIL_END around the N.ENTRY_PART and back through the hole in the N.REVOLUTION. For safety, leave a fairly long N.EXIT_PART."
One obvious gap to be filled is how to specify the direction in which the N.TAIL_END is pushed through the N.REV in the above example.
Thoughts?
Dave
edit: Added a clarification of "opposite" in the definition of N.ENTRY_PART.edit (2/18/2010): The ideas above are out-of-date. The new proposed terms are listed and defined in the Nodeology wiki at http://nodeology.pbworks.com/Bindings-Terms.