General Discussion

harmonicon

(12,008 posts)

90. Well, you got that one backwards there.

Sun Feb 19, 2012, 02:25 AM

Feb 2012

Inflammable is the older word. It is of course derived from the word "inflame". How did "flammable" come about? I don't know, but I suspect it has something to do with stupidity.

Instead of going back to the drawing board, I think it would be better for people who would rather be lazy about language taking some time to look into the etymology of words instead of just throwing up their hands and saying "everything goes!"

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For my fellow grammar/spelling fascists on DU. [View all] WilliamPitt Feb 2012 OP

OK hobbit709 Feb 2012 #1

I taught for 27 years. Only if its immersed in conservative clabber do I care anymore. Mostly. roguevalley Feb 2012 #19

As a grammer/spelling handycap, I do miss the spell check liberal N proud Feb 2012 #2

my speeling is guud, but my typping culd usse a litle wirk..... lastlib Feb 2012 #10

Excellent! The Velveteen Ocelot Feb 2012 #3

And this Newsjock Feb 2012 #4

commas save lives! alterfurz Feb 2012 #9

That's funny. Mira Feb 2012 #48

That's a great example... midnight Feb 2012 #49

Eats shoots and leaves Martin Eden Feb 2012 #60

My reply is a bit off topic ChazII Feb 2012 #71

That post needs music. Uncle Joe Feb 2012 #26

Perfectly put, my dear Will! CaliforniaPeggy Feb 2012 #5

The first one pintobean Feb 2012 #6

I prefer "stickler" to "fascist" peace frog Feb 2012 #7

touchy' rhett o rick Feb 2012 #43

Touchy? Art_from_Ark Feb 2012 #52

Dam Otto-correct. nm rhett o rick Feb 2012 #65

Some times when I look I wonder if it's looking back. Lint Head Feb 2012 #8

You like too get right at the to points of it, two. HopeHoops Feb 2012 #11

Trolling is a art...nt SidDithers Feb 2012 #12

For some it is. Rex Feb 2012 #31

THAT... sendero Feb 2012 #13

My mom kept her proof reading gene for herself libodem Feb 2012 #14

Shakespeare would think our English is atrocious. Speck Tater Feb 2012 #15

There is a vast difference between willfully stretching grammatical rules tkmorris Feb 2012 #28

That's very true. And both of those are agents of change. Speck Tater Feb 2012 #42

Best response ever. Neoma Feb 2012 #54

Irregardless tavalon Feb 2012 #57

That one causes me pain. harmonicon Feb 2012 #68

Imagine how your great grandparents felt when "slum", "smog", "suburb", and "gadget" were coined. Speck Tater Feb 2012 #69

You're purposefully missing the point. nt. harmonicon Feb 2012 #73

Speck tater tavalon Feb 2012 #76

If your point is that you don't like new words being coined, then I didn't miss it. Speck Tater Feb 2012 #77

I'm completely fine with new words being coined. harmonicon Feb 2012 #81

I know what you mean. Like how "inflammable" just means "flammable". Speck Tater Feb 2012 #87

Well, you got that one backwards there. harmonicon Feb 2012 #90

And with that I rest my case, because history shows that in fact... Speck Tater Feb 2012 #91

k thnx bai. nt. harmonicon Feb 2012 #92

I hate it to, but us grammar purists have to understand tavalon Feb 2012 #74

It would not!! harmonicon Feb 2012 #82

I agree tavalon Feb 2012 #83

I did. harmonicon Feb 2012 #84

True tavalon Feb 2012 #85

Define "more suitable". Speck Tater Feb 2012 #88

Easy. harmonicon Feb 2012 #89

I have always believed that there is ONLY dialect, when it comes to language. CTyankee Feb 2012 #86

LOL nadinbrzezinski Feb 2012 #16

Enough with the Santorum jokes! Warren DeMontague Feb 2012 #17

Bravo! MarianJack Feb 2012 #18

Beautifully illustrated WhoIsNumberNone Feb 2012 #20

Give that man a Pullet Surprise! MADem Feb 2012 #21

Pullet Surprise! tavalon Feb 2012 #56

I'd be much more forgiving if the errors weren't usually made Dreamer Tatum Feb 2012 #22

You should have used a colon at the end of your thread title. kysrsoze Feb 2012 #23

*bowing* WilliamPitt Feb 2012 #33

My Grammar never spoke in such a fashion. n/t IDemo Feb 2012 #24

The panda eats shoots and leaves. The Velveteen Ocelot Feb 2012 #25

Those two don't necessarily have to contradict. A-Schwarzenegger Feb 2012 #27

That's excellent! lunatica Feb 2012 #29

You'are your best friend, I hope. eom xtraxritical Feb 2012 #55

I'd be happy to be one... Yo_Mama Feb 2012 #30

This one is for you Will WonderGrunion Feb 2012 #32

Bees. WilliamPitt Feb 2012 #34

Mangling my grammar for the LULZ Generic Other Feb 2012 #35

Hey Will, you have bees in your head! s-cubed Feb 2012 #36

Bees. WilliamPitt Feb 2012 #39

The OP's grammar lesson is not helping me with public speaking, however! :) Land Shark Feb 2012 #37

Or the difference between Jakes Progress Feb 2012 #38

LOL! Right On! fascisthunter Feb 2012 #40

Is that a grammar mistake? Or a mistake in diction? pnwmom Feb 2012 #41

OR...is it "cat keys"? dixiegrrrrl Feb 2012 #45

i miss the old check spelling and ... madrchsod Feb 2012 #44

Now if I could only get my iPad to stop fooling around with my writing. Kablooie Feb 2012 #46

And when you make a typo ThoughtCriminal Feb 2012 #47

lol! That was perfect. :) /nt October Feb 2012 #72

Is "anal retentive" hyphenated? n/t dooner Feb 2012 #50

And here is an avatar for grammar/spelling fascists csziggy Feb 2012 #51

I could never figure out why people put a capital letter after a colon. Prometheus Bound Feb 2012 #53

Yer funny. tclambert Feb 2012 #58

My pet peeve is "loose" when it should be "lose" Martin Eden Feb 2012 #59

I mix them up quite often, so ___ me. Snort snot. lonestarnot Feb 2012 #64

Yeah, ____ you! Martin Eden Feb 2012 #79

Touche'. lonestarnot Feb 2012 #95

I actually attribute that one to the advent of spell check. bigmonkey Feb 2012 #75

UNTIE, UNTIE! n/t Earth_First Feb 2012 #61

What has always puzzled me... malthaussen Feb 2012 #62

language unites us.... tomp Feb 2012 #63

This message was self-deleted by its author allan01 Feb 2012 #66

re: For my fellow grammar/spelling fascists on DU. View profile allan01 Feb 2012 #67

That's Grammarian! whistler162 Feb 2012 #70

Hmm...I am wondering about your lead... 4whomthebelletrolls Feb 2012 #78

... Viking12 Feb 2012 #80

thank you! ibegurpard Feb 2012 #93

Any World of Warcraft players here? ibegurpard Feb 2012 #94