Serious question
2007-06-07 14:51:34 · 11 answers · asked by restfulslicky 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
one can be caught on fire (flammable) and the other cannot (inflammable)
2007-06-07 14:55:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Not a lot
"Flammable is of relatively recent origin. However, it has in many contexts (especially safety) taken the place of the older Inflammable, which some people may take to mean its exact opposite (wrongly assuming that the Latin prefix in- always means "not", when in this case it is an intensifier).[1] Because of this confusion, the word "inflammable" (on its own) is avoided in technical usage (warning notices, etc). In, for example, the United States and the United Kingdom, trucks carrying gasoline and other (in)flammable substances are always marked "flammable". In other countries, such as India, the words "highly inflammable" are used.[2] In Africa, inflammable is still commonly used as the warning label on petroleum transport trucks."
2007-06-07 15:02:20 · answer #2 · answered by Sylvia H 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The words flammable and inflammable both refer to the ease with which something will ignite. The opposite of these words is NOT 'unflammable'. The correct antonyms are nonflammable or noninflammable.
2007-06-09 16:59:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't foget the thrird word, "Umflammable" Which actually means it's not flammable. The other two means they are flammable and I don't kow why we need three words, when tow should handle the job
2007-06-07 16:21:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Flammable means it CAN burn, inflammable means it burns EASILY. For those who think inflammable means it can't burn then why does "to inflame" mean to start something burning?
2007-06-07 15:06:03 · answer #5 · answered by Barb Outhere 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One hot, ones not! Its the diff between running like hell, and taking your time. Seriously, the lady is right.
2007-06-07 14:56:40 · answer #6 · answered by tacmedwarrior 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
one is flammable(flammable) and one is not(inflammable)
2007-06-07 14:54:16 · answer #7 · answered by Lala 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
They both mean that the item is prone to catching fire.
2007-06-07 14:55:54 · answer #8 · answered by carmandnee 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The first one indicates something that will burn easily, the second one describes something that will not burn easily.
2007-06-07 15:00:20 · answer #9 · answered by Rikki 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
the letters I and M
2007-06-07 15:02:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋