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Subject:Re: Our language From:Melanie Fielek <mfielek -at- INRI -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 13 May 1997 09:09:18 -0400
Though I fear this post is off-topic, here goes.
"Invaluable" has the same meaning/connotation as "priceless".
A valuable item is worth a lot but can still be assigned a
specific worth. An invaluable item is worth so much it is far
beyond any meaningful appraisal.
I have no clue on the flammable/inflammable thing.
On Mon, 12 May 1997, John Glenn wrote:
> In a recent post, it was written that something was
> ''invaluable.''
> While the poster's English is correct (no flame, this), the
> ENGLISH rings false - INvaluable? Why not ''valuable?''
> Remember (you grey beards -- is there a female = to
> grey [gray?] beard?) ''inflammable'' meaning ''will go up in
> flames'' -- someone forced the change to ''flammable'' since
> the ''in'' was a (Latin?) negative.
> INvaluable --in this scrivener's opinion-- ought'a
> be relegated to the same scrap heap as inflammable -- along
> with some other words I'm certain can be added by other
> techwr-l subscribers.
> Before I press (but never DEpress) [ctrl]x, I want to repeat
> that this is >> !! NOT !! << a flame to/about the person
> who used the word. If a flame at all, 'tis a flame on this
> language that is so confusing even to some of us who grew up
> with it.
>
> John Glenn <sfarmh1 -at- scfn -dot- thpl -dot- lib -dot- fl -dot- us>
> ====================================================
> ...do not make a statement that cannot be easily
> understood on the grounds that it will be understood
> eventually. [Hillel - Avot 2:5]
-- Melanie
Melanie J. Fielek, Tech Writer | Life is a banquet,
Inter-National Research Institute | and most poor suckers
mfielek -at- inri -dot- com | are starving.
1991 Honda Hawk 650GT - Marissa | -- Auntie Mame
-- All opinions are mine, _mine_, MINE! --
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