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Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
1,160,000 ghits for “contiguous united states”. 35,200 ghits for “continuous united states”. 1ghit for “continueous united states”.
534,000 ghits for “contiguous 48 states”. 39,700 ghits for “continuous 48 states”. 3 ghits for “continueous united states”
“contiguous” means:
adjective: very close or connected in space or time (Example: “Contiguous events”)
adjective: connecting without a break; within a common boundary (Example: “The contiguous 48 states”)
adjective: having a common boundary or edge; touching (Example: “Utah and the contiguous state of Idaho”)
“continuous” means:
adjective: continuing in time or space without interruption
adjective: of a function or curve; extending without break or irregularity
It’s easy to see how the unknowing listener would substitue “contiguous” with “continuous”. It sounds very close and conveys a similar idea in the context. But, inasmuch as the United States is concerned, it is always refering to the 48 states besides Hawaii and Alaska; which makes it clear that “contiguous” is the meaning desired.
A high percentage of the “continuous” ghits involve packaging and shipping services:
We will only ship grills to the continuous United States. Please call for individual quotes if you live outside of this area. The customer is responsible …
grillkitchens.com/terms.asp
For most products, we ship via UPS Ground for FREE anywhere in the US Continuous 48 States (free UPS Ground shipping to Canada for 1up Trainer only) ...
www.1upusa.com/shipping.htm
But there are also many non-shipping related “continuous” examples :
Epicus Communications Group, Inc. (OTCBB: EPCG) is an integrated communications provider of Interstate services in the continuous 48 states, ...
www.watervilleresearch.com/companies/co … 260-1.html
Nearly 1000 species, mostly crustaceans, insects and arachnids, live exclusively in caves within the continuous 48 states. About 95 percent of the species …
www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica … 16241.html
Seems like an eggcorn. What do you think?
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