Alton Brown totally pwnt you guys

That is correct.

to roil something means to stir it and make cloudy... such as roiling eggs or a sauce.
I would expect more from Trey's chubby cheeks to know that roiling is mixing a liquid, not boiling water.

Well, in my opinion stupidity just can't be helped. Rob, roil has varying meanings most of which carry this overtone, "to be in a state of turbulence or agitation," some of which have nothing to do with making it "cloudy" although that is in some definitions.

It's simply a folk etymology; which in either spoken language the term was lost because of it's similar pronunciation or in written word because the "i" next to the "l" looks very similar.

But there is not a doubt in my mind that the term was once widely accepted as roiling. Mostly because it's much easier to equate a Roiling Boil with the word "roil" which deals with stirring, disturbing or otherwise making the water turbid; instead of somehow imagining the water rolling around in the pot, possibly right off the stove and down the street.

There is also Internet evidence for both cases, so don't bother posting references they are both out there. Pam just yesterday ran across the phrase "roiling boil" in a book she is reading, by an author, with an editor. Not on the side of some box of tea that could have possibly originated from the plethora of engrish speaking countries in the World.

In conclusion, I have said again and again that both terms are valid and "roiling" will probably be super ceded by rolling. However, it's also clear that the claim that roiling doesn't fit or is wrong is just ignorant. And, as some of you know ignorance runs rampant in this group from the temperature scale Kelvin going from -213 to 213 or some other such ridiculousness (correct me Travis) or the Lexus GS450H having 4 electric motors, one at each wheel.

Haha. I would never say I wasn't. But considering we were discussing a food related topic, I figured it appropriate to take a jab at the jelly.

I just want to add that I did, in fact, read the term 'roiling boil' in the book I'm reading, however, my whole life of 24 years I have been saying rolling boil. Roiling boil just sounds weird.

I'm sticking to a boil of the rolling kind, because that's what I'm accustomed to. But, now whenever Trey says something about a roiling boil, I'll know what the hell he's saying instead of looking at him like he's an idiot.

Yes, I know "rolling" is more popular.

As for the topic at hand Travis, I think you may contradict yourself a little in the two paragraphs about the state of the boil. In one you say that roil is redundant, but in the other you don't think that roll is at all. If a boil has a single state then rolling is just as redundant as roiling. However, if you need to describe a low boil and a violent boil both terms apply. Not only do both terms apply they are both used in many sources. I believe "roiling" is probably the high brow or antiquated term, much like "ask" and "ax" and will be one day forgotten.

I said this when it first came up and it is hardly the only part of language that will (or has) follow[ed] this pattern.

As for your last paragraph; if you search for "roiling" without "boil" it would be equivalent to searching for "rolling" without "boil". I could guess that you wouldn't get great results for rolling in reference to boiling if you searched it the same way.

You guys sound like faggots, let the women be concerned with the cooking.

Wow...I totally cannot believe you found 7 other people as fucking retarded as you are. hah j/k

So, if you're a purist... which it is?

I just got through asking the anchors (all language and English majors), the majority say roiling over rolling. They agree with it being the archaic term and one made the point said it makes more sense that roiling is used because it pertains to liquids where rolling doesn't.

Also found the first definitive definition using Roiling Boil from Kitchen Krafts.
ROILING BOIL: "a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred," which could be applied to rolling as well.

One last thing, about a month ago when this topic first came up I emailed Hormel about "roiling" not appearing in their dictionary and what they thought. They have since modified their dictionary to include a disambiguation located here: Hormel which recipies.com has also picked up.

Hormel? Ewwww.

What do you mean "you people"...I never took you for a racist Aashish...I guess I was wrong.

Got me pinned. Down with whitey!

I dunno, language is an interesting topic. Certain words and phrases change based on region or get mistaken so often that their meaning or composition changes over time. It's a hobby, what are your hobbies?

I find this topic to be worthy of posting, obviously, and arguing about language seems to be a worthy hobby because you learn quite a bit about history and language at the same time. Apparently Aashish's only hobby is belittle our hobby.

Haha, damn Liz! Why do people take everything I say personally? You all are part off the white majority, you should have thicker skins than that.

And this conversation was never really about the correct usage of a term. It was about you all trying to make people feel/look stupid. You guys would have the same argument about the color of the sky, if you could.

P.S. the wasteland double posts whenever I use opera.

bah, my typo double posted for all to see.

...to my knowledge this topic has always been about the correct usage of the term. I can't speak for other people's intentions, but I don't have a need to make Travis or Trey look dumb. I've just enjoyed the research and discussion.

Indeed...this thread has outed many idiots. But if the last 10 years have taught me anything...it is that people coming out of various closets should do so in California.