posted
I remember speaking to a rather simple individual about the availablity of pirated software on the Internet. In those days, and perhaps still today in some circles, it was known as the Warez scene (a contraction of software, with a z added, presumably because z is such a cool letter). Simpleton had obviously only ever seen the word in written form and had no idea about its origin, hence insisted on pronouncing it wah-rez. I tried to explain, but...
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quote:Originally posted by Kira: yes I am suggesting that "another thing coming" is correct. Thats always how I've heard it. However I would never say pacific instead of specific. Only retards do that.
To be fair, Kira, they sound the same, as the website linked to above seemed to demonstrate (something about "thing/k" as one word joins the 'k' sound at the start of "coming").
What's interesting is that you must have thought the phrase meant something slightly different. In what I believe is the correct form, it means "you have another thought coming" ~ but the grammar has been comically warped. (Again, it's from America in the 1930s apparently. Think of the poem "spring has sprung / the grass is rizz / I wonder where the boidies is! / the boids is on the wing, they say. But that's absoid / I always heard them say / the wings is on the boid.")
I'm not sure really what sense "another thing" makes, except in the way I suggested above ("If you think you're getting any money off me, you've got another thing [no money] coming").
Your last example is a good explanation of what I've always taken it to mean.
Although judging from what you've said and the other forum this is wrong.
I suppose if you hear something often enough you'll just assume that its right until someone corrects you or you hear it or see it in its correct form and then you'll be prompted question what you know. The misuse of pacific seems to be fairly widespread so I guess this is a good example of this.
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posted
Regardless that I believe I'm correct to the point where I'd actually say I know I'm correct, I don't understand how "thing" makes sense in that context.
"If you think I'm going to lend you that money, you've got another thing coming." What thing? An absence of money? What?
By contrast, "another think" as comical version of "another thought" makes sense. It means "if you think I'm going to lend you that money, you'd better think again." (You've got another "think" coming to you.)
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posted
Do Americans (and Ringo) learn most of their English from Judas Priest lyrics then? It would explain quite a lot.
Reminds me of that old joke about the explorer who comes across a lost tribe and is greated by the village chief with the words, "Welcome *ckckckck* Please come and *weeeeee ckkckck* take tea with us *wooooooob ckckckck*"
And the explorer says, "Er, may I ask where you learned to speak English so, er, interestingly?"
And the chief shows him a short wave radio and says "BBC World *weeeeeb shhhhhshhhhh* Service".
quote:Originally posted by Ringo: "If you believe this thing, then you have another thing coming!"
Do you see? Because you believe one thing but in actual fact, what is to come is actually a completely different thing.
That's so boringly literal as to not be an idiom at all, though. You don't provide any examples, which seems a weakness, but I suppose I can try to imagine how it might work. "If you believe you're getting chips, you're getting mashed potatoes coming." "If you think you're going to the pub tonight, you've got a night in with a bottle of wine coming".
It's just pedestrian.
The thing about idiomatic expressions is that they're colourful and memorable. The way you're presenting this one, it would be the most boring idiomatic expression in the history of ever... if you were right.
However, we don't have to rely on what we firmly believe to be true, when it comes to language. I'm sure there are places we can look it up.
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quote:Originally posted by Ringo: It's not! It's totally not! And if you think it is, then by God, you've got another thing coming!
This just demonstrates why your misinterpretation of the idiom is wrong. What you've written doesn't really make sense, and at very best, it's just pointlessly plodding.
"If you think it is, you've got another thing coming." What's the other "thing" here?
-- The, the thing is, you retard spastic, the thing is YOU BEING WRONG!
- That's not a "thing". If anything, it's an event.
-- You being wrong IS A THING! It's a THING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. And if you keep arguing with me, you're a fucking joey! Three people here agree with me, IDT INDT!!!
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posted
Who said it was an idiomatic expression? I'm simply telling it like it is. If it's not wordy enough for you then it doesn't make it wrong. You can't just make stuff up to suit you.
And if you expect me to sit here arguing the toss with you all evening, you've got another thing coming. Because I am going home.
quote:Originally posted by wonderstarr: I'm sure there are places we can look it up.
Thousands of them. It seems to be a 50/50 split between thing and think.
Perhaps that's because the internet is dominated by American sites, which seem (oddly, if the idiom originated in the US) to have got the wrong idea about this one.
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quote:Originally posted by Ringo: Who said it was an idiomatic expression?
Well, that's another question I suppose. I would say it's an idiom. But I'm glad you have decided graciously that this argument isn't worth silly fighting about ~ I certainly agree. I almost wish I'd never brought it up, now.
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quote:Originally posted by Black Mask: It's 'Think on't', isn't it?
Ben?
'Think on' was what I used to be told, usually having just been 'clattered'. Think on's potency could be intensified by adding 'You can just fucking...' or somesuch.
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posted
I thing we should believe the information on *this page, as it was published just four years after the alleged birth of Christ:
quote:by Tina Blue November 24, 004
A popular expression that I keep seeing misused, even by those who write for a living, is the one that goes, "If you think this, that, or the other, then you've got another think coming."
The common misuse of this expression goes thus: "If you think this, that, or the other, then you've got another thing coming."
posted
I feel a bit bad about trying to mock Ringo's position, now. I just got carried away with the argument, I'm afraid. I'm sure his passion for language is admirable.
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H1ppychick
We all prisoners, chickee-baby. We all locked in.
posted
Ringo, Kira and Pink are WRONG.
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posted
I think the probblem is how you can actually define either saying as categorically right or wrong. With no supporting evidence to prove or disprove either saying, and no clear majority holding either opinion, you'd have to say that in a sense they are both right, and both wrong.
Or, to put it another way, say what you want, it doesn't really matter, you boner.
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posted
For those who work from home and often fancy a bit of light relief in the form of televisual Schadenfreude, the Jeremy Kyle Show is a must.
However, one thing that annoys me even more than the stream of toothless, witless chav morons is Jeremy's use of the term erudite to describe a guest who can manage to string more than half a sentence together.
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posted
Hello Samuelnorton! It's good to see a few people finally posting on a Sunday. I expected more activity. I would start a thread but all I can think of today is how much more it costs you to be healthy rather than eat crap. I think I spent £10 on a fruit salad and caesar salad today. I could have had a Quarter Pounder meal with fries and shake, and either 6 cans of stella or a decent bottle of wine, for that. And have a pound left over for chips.
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posted
Back on topic, have you noticed how people always tend to use "perogative" instead of "prerogative"? I'm sure Britney even says it "perogative". [In the song, I mean. Of that name]
Oh and here's another one: remuneration, which people seem tempted to say "renumeration", presumably because they think it's do to with numbers, not money. I don't know for sure.
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I almost wish I'd never brought it up, now.
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I would start a thread but all I can think of today is how much more it costs you to be healthy rather than eat crap. I think I spent £10 on a fruit salad and caesar salad today. I could have had a Quarter Pounder meal with fries and shake, and either 6 cans of stella or a decent bottle of wine, for that. And have a pound left over for chips.
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