Re: USAGE: YAEUT: "Molten" vs. "Melted"

--- On Mon, 10/13/08, Eldin Raigmore <eldin_raigmore@...> wrote:

> In English the verb "melt" has two passive perfect
> participles; to wit, "molten"
> and "melted".
> When is it more appropriate to use "molten" than
> "melted", and when is it more
> appropriate to use "melted" than
> "molten"?
> Are there any circumstances in which only one is
> appropriate?  If so, what
> circumstances, and which one is appropriate?
In my experience, "melted" is used for things which are seen in their melted
state under conditions an average person might easily create or observe, such
as melted ice, melted cheese, melted plastic, melted butter, ...

Things which require extraordinary conditions, not normally encountered in daily
life, in order to melt would use "molten", such as molten lead, molten lava,
molten steel, molten glass.

--gary

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