What does the word "deck" mean in "deck transformation"? What's the idea behind this name?
Etymology of the name "deck transformation"
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algebraic-topology
terminology
math-history
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0I don't think this word has a *deep* etymology. The idea is to think of a covering space as something like the floors of a building or a big boat. Each floor you could call a deck, like on a boat. So deck transformation you could also call floor transformation, or level transformation, etc. – 2011-05-10
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4My guess is that it comes from German "decken" - to cover. I have no evidence, though. – 2011-05-10
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0@Theo: that's what deck means in English, as well. – 2011-05-10
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0@Ryan: Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. My Oxford American Dictionary doesn't mention such usage, only the sense "decorate or adorn". – 2011-05-10
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0These all look like pretty convincing arguments. When I first learned about deck transformations, though, I was told to picture a deck of cards sitting over a base card; then deck transformations just shuffle the deck! – 2011-05-10