Meaning of the word Lateralus/lateralis

[The_Martyr]

maybe I dont know 'couse i speak hebrew but I doubt it

[jotun]

i dont think it's a word really...
but it has to do with "lateral thinking", expand your mind and such things...i think i read that lateral means sideways or something like that
listen to the text with that in mind...it'll make more sense...push the envelope, watch it bend

[avarice]

to me, they mean "lateral us" and "lateral I's"

[bokonon]

"Lateralis" is just a typo in the first printings of the CD, as the FAQ will tell you.

[blackgandhi]

The root of the title is obviously "lateral" which is derived from the Latin, "lateralis".

Lateral is in reference to something's sides, or moving sideways. From this I infer that we're talking of a straight line (at least, the word 'lateral' has always sparked that idea in me).

Now, from the song's lyrics, I observe that we can be on a straight line, but to withdraw from the lateral would be to spiral. I take it as removing yourself from thinking on a level of point a and point b, and placing yourself into a new thought that doesn't exist on the lateral plane altogether, hence spiraling out.

I'm not sure what relevance the '-us' is in lateralus. Maybe just a derivation of the Latin root.

Just my take and analysis.