Finding the correct fork

Question

I am not looking for a fork for the table (el tenedor), nor a fork in the road (la bifurcación)nor even a pitchfork (la borca) but a fork in the river. Many rivers in my areas have different branches so that the names are : North Fork American, Middle Fork AR, South Fork Yuba River.

Hope someone can help and happy rafting!

Bifurcación - I love it how in Spanish so many every day words are very high level words in English. - afowen, Sep 7, 2011

Answer 1

bifurcación. (seems to work for rivers as well as roads)

(Del lat. bifurcat?o, -?nis).

• 1) f. Acción y efecto de bifurcarse.

• 2) f. Lugar donde un camino, río, etc., se divide en dos ramales o brazos.

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horcajo.

(Del dim. de horca).

• 1) m. Horca de madera que se pone al pescuezo de las mulas para el trabajo.

• 2) m. Confluencia de dos ríos o arroyos.

• 3) m. Punto de unión de dos montañas o cerros.

• 4) m. p. us. Horquilla que forma la viga del molino de aceite en el extremo en que se cuelga el peso.

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

The technical difference:

confluence

Drat I missed "confluencia" - pacofinkler, Sep 6, 2011

"Q," you definitely outdid yourself on this post!! ;) - territurtle, Sep 7, 2011

Answer 2

" bifurcación" seems to be the word here.

In English, I think of an upstream confluence differently from a downstream bifurcation. Tis leads me to think of a confluence as a joining and a bifurcatioin as a fork. - Moe, Sep 6, 2011

My name is Webster and I'm sticking to this story. - Moe, Sep 6, 2011

A river "fork" actually joins. - pesta, Sep 7, 2011

Joins when water flow uphill. - samdie, Sep 7, 2011

Answer 3

Hi, Zany.

I found fork in a river to be " horcajo."

Answer 4

Thanks, especially Qfreed. From your answer and further thinking, it's bifurcación for me.

Moe...you got!