What is the difference. Linear, Lineal

[wolfb]

Is there a difference? Linear...Lineal. Is lineal just an abomination of linear? Is 1 linear board feet the same as 1"x12"x12" which equals 1 board foot. If so what does lineal mean? Just curious. Wolf-==-

[Leon]

Geeeeeez

Lineal relates to the line of decedents in a family AND Linear.

Linear relates to something resembling a straight line.

Clear now? LOL

[Nova]

lin·e·ar - adj. Abbr. lin. 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a line; straight.

2.a. In, of, describing, described by, or related to a straight line. b. Having only one dimension. 3. Characterized by, composed of, or emphasizing drawn lines rather than painterly effects. 4. Botany. Narrow and elongated with nearly parallel margins: a linear leaf. [Latin lºne³ris, from lºnea, line. See LINE1.] --lin?e·ar·ly adv.

lin·e·al - adj. Abbr. lin. 1. Belonging to or being in the direct line of descent from an ancestor. 2. Derived from or relating to a particular line of descent; hereditary. 3. Linear. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin lºne³lis, consisting of lines, from Latin lºnea, line. See LINE1.]

--lin?e·al·ly adv.

(Source - The American Heritage Dictionary)

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[f/256]

Since you want to be correct about the use of linear versus lineal, you might as well be correct about feet and foot. "1 linear board feet" is not correct, feet is plural can't be used with 1, the correct way would be "1 linear board foot". Something else, a piece of wood 12" x 12" x 1" is 1 linear board foot but so is a piece 12" x 2" x 4", a linear board foot is just a piece of wood 12" long any width any thickness.

guillermo

[LP]

WRONG! Linear measurements are just the straight line distance between two points. Linear has nothing to do with board foot, which is a measure of volume.

[John McCoy]

"wolfb" wrote in news:csmvge$vvu$ [e-mail]:

In common speech, no.

No, not really. Lineal means "done in a straight line fashion". Linear means "line-like", or sometimes "in one dimension".

"1 linear board foot" is a nonsense phrase. One linear foot means one foot measured in a line (as opposed to following the contour of whatever's being measured). One could say one linear foot means one foot measured lineally.

Board feet are a measure of volume, not length, so it doesn't make sense to describe them as linear. It's like saying "one gallon, measured in a straight line".

John