Do these terms share the same level of laudatoriness/pejorativeness in both BrE and AmE?
Or, does one typically have a more positive/negative connotation to it than the other from your side of the pond?
For example, think of "inquisitive mind" vs. "inquiring mind."
Also, would you define Lt. Columbo as an "ever-inquisitive" or "ever-inquiring" police officer to say he is quite a snoopy fellow?
inquisitive: adj. : 1) having or showing an interest in learning things; curious.
2) Unduly curious about the affairs of others; prying.inquiring/(chiefly BrE) enquiring: adj. : 1) showing an interest in learning things.
2) (Of a look or expression) suggesting that information is sought.
Edit:
What I wish you could tell is whether some sort of difference exists in the usage of "inquisitive" and "inquiring" as used in AmE and BrE.
For instance, I was taught when I was in school (where BrE is the norm out here in France) that "inquisitive" has a pejorative connotation to it, a bit similar to "snoopy/prying."
However, quite a few years ago, I was corrected by a couple of Americans in their mid thirties/early forties after using "inquiring" to mean "having/showing an interest in learning things." They told me the appropriate word for that should be "inquisitive," not "inquiring," which, to their perspectives, had a pejorative meaning to it, as in "inquiring eyes staring at you."
Hence my question: is there a US/UK difference to the usage of those terms?
Hope I'm not being too inquisitive (or should I say "inquiring") looking into this.