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(I wrote this to Anu and he, or his auto-reply, directed me to the message boards. My question was inspired by a weekly theme, but the weekly theme board doesn't seem to be very popular.)
I was wondering if you could help me with some time-related words. I hope you haven't covered this in an earlier email, if you have let me know and I'll find it in the archives.
It's the use of "semi" and "bi" as prefixes. Looking at the prefixes, I believe that "semi" means "one-half" and "bi" means "two". So, I would have thought that bi-annual would mean "twice a year" while semi-annual would mean "once every two years" (literally, "one-half every year"). Same with bi-weekly and semi-weekly and probably others as well.
However, there seems to be no consensus on this in daily conversation. Even dictionary.com seems to have conflicting definitions, although I suspect that all commonly used meanings of a word are provided, even if one is not used properly when looking at its original meaning:
bi·an·nu·al adj.
Happening twice each year; semiannual.
Occurring every two years; biennial.
Can you shed any light on this? Is one way more proper than another? Or do we have to accept that a "time" word can, with equal validity, indicate two entirely different frequencies and hence is useless, in my mind, since it does not convey a consistent thought to the entire audience?
Thanks,
Joe
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Carpal Tunnel
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Quote:
Or do we have to accept that a "time" word can, with equal validity, indicate two entirely different frequencies and hence is useless, in my mind, since it does not convey a consistent thought to the entire audience?
Thanks,
Joe
That's pretty much it. But don't let it bother you too much. Stick around and enjoy the chaos.
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Carpal Tunnel
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For me. biennial can only mean every other year and never twice a year. If I really wanted somebody to understand what I was saying I would say: twice a year/week or every other year/week (every two years). The way that bi- and semi- work in Latin is as two-X and half-X, where X is some thing like a year or a foot, and not as twice-in-an-X.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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addict
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Ah, English how she are spoke. What zmjezhd said. A "centennial" is a hundred years, not a hundred times a year, so "bienniel" or "biannual" would be two years, not twice a year.
My favourite is "sesqui" - a sesquicentennial is one hundred and fifty years. I call myself "sesquilingual" because I speak good English and half-assed French.
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> half-assed French
sesquiderriere...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Quote:
> half-assed French
sesquiderriere...
Er, wouldn't that be largesse?
TEd
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hah! 
formerly known as etaoin...
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Pooh-Bah
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TEd is known for making puns, but often with finesse
Now some say puns are bad -- on language they're a curse
Faced with three buns, TEd said to all "Now that is some largesse!"
I laughed out loud, and hereby praise TEd's wit in doggerel verse
And yet this sesquiderriere -- it leaves a thinker troubled
For though there is but one more cheek, the worst is surely doubled
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Carpal Tunnel
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you have eliminated all the competition, Alex.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Aw shucks, guys, it was just a fundamental joke.
TEd
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And who, may I ask, is the butt of it?
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