http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/diffuse-defuse Language in a word Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:13:52 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/diffuse-defuse/comment-page-1#comment-676 Abdul Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:50:37 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/archives/16#comment-676 So the "de-/di-" in "defuse/ difuse" difference confuses even native speakers let alone foreign learners of English. Take another examples: "emigrant / immigrant / migrant"!! So the “de-/di-” in “defuse/ difuse” difference confuses even native speakers let alone foreign learners of English. Take another examples: “emigrant / immigrant / migrant”!!

]]> http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/diffuse-defuse/comment-page-1#comment-673 Neal Whitman Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:28:47 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/archives/16#comment-673 You're right on this one, of course, but the usage that always confuses me is whether one "defuses" tension or a situation, as if it were a bomb about to go off, or "diffuses" it, as if it were an oil spill that needs to be spread out to lessen its harm. You’re right on this one, of course, but the usage that always confuses me is whether one “defuses” tension or a situation, as if it were a bomb about to go off, or “diffuses” it, as if it were an oil spill that needs to be spread out to lessen its harm.

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