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Continuous vs Continual
- Thread starter Dimandja
- Start date
Both have a meaning of uninterrupted time and are synonyms. Continuous also includes uninterrupted space and sequence. So you might say the skyline has a continous expanse of skyscrapers but not a continual one.
Each word also has a different second definition.
Continuous is a mathmatical term and continual could not be substituted in this case.
Continual has a definition of occurring in steady but interrupted sequence such as a continual series of wars. If you say a continuous series of wars, then the wars have no time between them, whereas the continunal series could have short breaks between the wars.
Questions about posting. See faq183-874
Each word also has a different second definition.
Continuous is a mathmatical term and continual could not be substituted in this case.
Continual has a definition of occurring in steady but interrupted sequence such as a continual series of wars. If you say a continuous series of wars, then the wars have no time between them, whereas the continunal series could have short breaks between the wars.
Questions about posting. See faq183-874
Good question.
I consulted my dictionary and can only guess:
I'd assume it depends on whether you want to refer to the entirety of something (=permanent, no interruption=continuous), or to an ever-repeating action (over and over again since a certain point of time in the past = continual)
So, "continuous control" would mean e.g. "being permanently controlled by computer
"continual asking" in the contrast does not require asking without breathing as would probably "continuous asking"
...
Does that make any sense?
![[ponder]](/data/assets/smilies/ponder.gif "[ponder] [ponder]")
[blue]An eye for an eye only leaves the whole world blind. - "Mahatma" Mohandas K. Gandhi[/blue]
I consulted my dictionary and can only guess:
I'd assume it depends on whether you want to refer to the entirety of something (=permanent, no interruption=continuous), or to an ever-repeating action (over and over again since a certain point of time in the past = continual)
So, "continuous control" would mean e.g. "being permanently controlled by computer
"continual asking" in the contrast does not require asking without breathing as would probably "continuous asking"
...
Does that make any sense?
[blue]An eye for an eye only leaves the whole world blind. - "Mahatma" Mohandas K. Gandhi[/blue]
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