Comments on: The Opposite of Dense http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/ It's Devan Goldstein Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:41:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Does language affect how you think? Language Relativity « Brain hungry! Feed me! Entertain me! http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/comment-page-1/#comment-4826 Does language affect how you think? Language Relativity « Brain hungry! Feed me! Entertain me! Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:25:26 +0000 http://www.devangoldstein.com/?p=219#comment-4826 [...] (See http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/ for the post I mentioned, which also looks into the history of English to find a better word to use that “light” or “not-dense.”) [...] [...] (See http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/ for the post I mentioned, which also looks into the history of English to find a better word to use that “light” or “not-dense.”) [...]

]]> By: devan http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/comment-page-1/#comment-4768 devan Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:56:36 +0000 http://www.devangoldstein.com/?p=219#comment-4768 That's excellent news Refael! Glad to hear a new generation is curious. And I'd forgotten about <em>rarefied</em>—nice work. That’s excellent news Refael! Glad to hear a new generation is curious.

And I’d forgotten about rarefied—nice work.

]]> By: Refael http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/comment-page-1/#comment-4767 Refael Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:32:32 +0000 http://www.devangoldstein.com/?p=219#comment-4767 I think that the word "rare" is still in use. What I have encountered more frequently is "rarefied", often used in the sense of a gas made less dense. My son asked me the opposite of "dense" just today, and I am happy to have passed on this word to the next generation. :) I think that the word “rare” is still in use. What I have encountered more frequently is “rarefied”, often used in the sense of a gas made less dense.

My son asked me the opposite of “dense” just today, and I am happy to have passed on this word to the next generation. :)

]]> By: devan http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/comment-page-1/#comment-4761 devan Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:27:37 +0000 http://www.devangoldstein.com/?p=219#comment-4761 Interesting thought. To take your <i>weight</i> example, something can have <i>more</i> or <i>less</i> weight, but it can also be <i>heavier</i> or <i>lighter</i>. Could it be that there was once a word comparable to <i>weight</i> that described the <i>dense</i>/<i>rare</i> spectrum with no special affinity for one pole or the other? <i>Dord</i> is incredible. And the guy's right: Why <em>not</em>? Interesting thought. To take your weight example, something can have more or less weight, but it can also be heavier or lighter.

Could it be that there was once a word comparable to weight that described the dense/rare spectrum with no special affinity for one pole or the other?

Dord is incredible. And the guy’s right: Why not?

]]> By: Nathan Peretic http://www.devangoldstein.com/219/opposite-of-dense/comment-page-1/#comment-4760 Nathan Peretic Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:20:40 +0000 http://www.devangoldstein.com/?p=219#comment-4760 The term "dense" itself is somewhat of a misnomer, as we discussed yesterday. Who knows how a measurement became an adjective. Something could be more dense or less dense, just as something has length, temperature, weight, et al. where long and short, hot and cold, heavy and light are the appropriate poles. Good luck reviving "rare." May I suggest "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dord" rel="nofollow">dord</a>" to replace "dense," thereby unencumbering it from "density"? The term “dense” itself is somewhat of a misnomer, as we discussed yesterday. Who knows how a measurement became an adjective. Something could be more dense or less dense, just as something has length, temperature, weight, et al. where long and short, hot and cold, heavy and light are the appropriate poles. Good luck reviving “rare.” May I suggest “dord” to replace “dense,” thereby unencumbering it from “density”?

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