Re: instantly vs. instantaneously

Subject: Re: instantly vs. instantaneously
From: Ad absurdum per aspera <JTCHEW -at- LBL -dot- GOV>
Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1993 21:30:01 GMT

In article <930707202106_555063 -dot- 0_FHI56-1 -at- CompuServe -dot- COM>,
Paula Reynolds <PAULAR -at- hispeed -dot- mhs -dot- compuserve -dot- com> asks:

> Okay, I give up. What's the difference?
> My Webster's New World (Third College Edition) defines both as
> without delay, immediate.

My opinion on this nuance (which the American Heritage
Dictionary would seem to support): "Instantly" has to do
with response time, "instantaneously" with duration. In
other words, I replied to this message instantly; then,
when I clicked the Send button, my thoughts were transmitted
instantaneously.

Followup to alt.usage.english or sci.physics, depending
on which of my statements you're quarrelling with. :)

Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"


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