Language is simply a convention ( see definition #5 at
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/convention ), the letters or sounds
we put together work for communication if we agree on what they mean. I
always get a kick out of people who say "what it technically means", or "the
proper usage". If the sender and the recipient agree on the meaning we have
effective communication, things mean what the masses agree on what they
mean.
If I walk into the auto parts store, any auto parts store in the USA, and I
ask for "anti-freeze" they will point me to the various gallon containers of
stuff, perhaps ready to use (50/50 with water) or full strength, that
includes chemicals which help keep the liquid you use in your cooling system
from freezing, but also from boiling, and it will also have some
anti-corrosive and lubrication additives, and in fact that is what I and
most of you (from my part of the world anyway) will expect to get, and if
you just got something that kept the stuff in your cooling system from
freezing and no lubricant and your water pump failed you would be very
unhappy, and if the auto parts guy came back with "well you just said you
wanted "anti-freeze" so that's all you got", you probably wouldn't feel that
much better about the whole thing. So from a practical, and, in my opinion,
actual standpoint the above described broad definition is what "anti-freeze"
means here in the states.
I can't speak to the other parts of the world, but I suspect some of the
terminology might be different, and I also suspect that that is how this
whole thread got started.
Greg Lemon
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