Interesting. Language is a fascinating thing.
Stanley is buying Black and Decker for $4.5 billion in stock
Nov 02, 2009
42 Replies
Ah, I see. So if it's old enough it becomes a word.
It is only in -recent- (sloppy) usage that the two words have been treated as more-or-less interchangeable.
As recently as the mid 1960s, in technical usage, the two terms were as different in meaning as 'explosive' and 'high explosive'.
The difference -- exactly as with explosive/high-explosive -- was in how fast (and how readily) a thing burned. "Inflammable" things were _more_ sensitive/volatile than merely "flammable" ones.
Join the Discussion
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask the community — no account required