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Doug's post in the "UK Explosion" thread made me think of a long running debate my friends and I have.  What do you think is the proper usage of the word flammable.  The actual definition of flammable is a word that describes something that does not burn well.  Common usage of the word however, is flammable means something does burn well because it seems to fit better.  So often times you will see things that do burn well, have both flammable and inflammable on them.  I was just wondering what everyone thought of this, and how you use it.

Inflammable Definition
Flammable Definition

P.S.  Doug, your post just reminded me of this, I'm didn't mean you were using it wrong with this post, I use it the same way because it's accepted more that way, I was just wondering what people thought of this whole debate.

[quote]P.S.

PS. Are you still with me?

I most certainly am

As I understand it, "inflammable" usually means something that will react to flame- by burning, or some other reaction. "Intumescent foam" for example, is this goop used to fill voids in walls, etc. where cable or pipe is passing thru... fire makes it swell up and harden , thus cutting off airflow and preventing spread of fire thru the hole. It is very fire-resitant, though: won't burn. The "In" refers to heat or fire; "tumescent" means swollen.
 The word "inflammable, though, can refer to stuff that will burn.
"Flammable" substances are substances that might themselves ignite, in some cases just from exposure to heat, friction or oxygen.

Don't you love highly flammable stuff?

[quote]As I understand it, "inflammable" usually means something that will react to flame- by burning, or some other reaction. "Intumescent foam" for example, is this goop used to fill voids in walls, etc. where cable or pipe is passing thru... fire makes it swell up and harden , thus cutting off airflow and preventing spread of fire thru the hole. It is very fire-resitant, though: won't burn. The "In" refers to heat or fire; "tumescent" means swollen.

I'm with Doug.
If people had a brain they'd realise that to inflame as situation is similar to setting it on fire- i.e aggravating it...and so QED highly inflammable means "it will burn like all hell if you set it on fire" .

However, I think people should be encouraged to find out for themselves....

Person one: (looking at petrol) Mmmm...I wonder....

Sign on petrol: You don't know the difference between flammable and inflammable...so why dont you find out?

Person one: Ok, sounds good. My bet is that I won't die a fiery death. *Lights match*

VOOOOOSH!

Person one: Maybe I  should've learnt English properly.


Hehehe!


A.

Ridiculous as I might have made it sound & it did indeed seem that way to us, there was a very good reason behind it. The wording was changed when hazard warning notices were being updated to comply with the then new international standards. Most countries had their own national standards which might vary & cause confusion in other countries so it was actually sensible to make them all the same. What amused & slightly irritated me was that we were the ones that always had to change our standards when we usually invented the darned things in the first place. In this case a perfectly good word like inflammable which had been in use for centuries without causing confusion to anyone was replaced by the new word flammable that nobody had ever seen or used before, although the meaning was still blindingly obvious.

Now there's a coincidence...

Whilst I was reading this thread I turned round and noticed that my poor Aunt Agnes has suddenly suffered from a bout of Human Spontaneous Combustion....!



I had no idea that she was so flammable/inflammable...whatever......!

LOL... ...!

Paul... ...!

It is a weird thing that. SHC is denied by many scientists, but there are a few living people who caught fire from inside and were put out.  ::)

It is a weird thing that. SHC is denied by many scientists, but there are a few living people who caught fire from inside and were put out.  ::)

It was a joke, Ben....it was a joke.... ...!

You take my comical comments much too seriously... ....!
LOL...!

Spontaneous Human Combustion is a separate subject which gets on some peoples "wick*".... ...!
...and I wouldn't want to get dragged kicking and screaming into that subject...
LOL...!

Paul...*"SHC. The wick effect".... ...!

Spontaneous Human Combustion is a separate subject which gets on some peoples "wick*".... ...!

LOL Paul. Not bad for a dreary Monday morning. Not bad at all.

Poor old Aunt Aggie. I hope she was wearing the appropriate Highly Inflammable Flammable & Liable to Cause Explosions hazard warning stickers.

Oh I knew you were kidding! You don't have to be around Mr Fozzer too long to know that!

It was an obiter dicta as we say in law - or maybe the technical way of saying one is throwing a spanner in the works.
Besides the person you pictured is actually a man called Dr. Bentley.

[quote]there are a few living people who caught fire from inside and were put out.

Flammable/inflammable................ same kind of thing to why we call something a

"hot water heater".

If the water is already hot, why are we heating it?    Sometime common word usage makes no sense.


best,

.................john