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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in hating "of" instead of "have"

119 replies

hairymclary · 13/05/2007 21:51

I just cringe every time I see it.

OP posts:
LieselVentouse · 14/05/2007 09:55

Not being unreasonable I hate it too.

RustyBear · 14/05/2007 09:16

Oddly enough, you do usually say I went to see a film, because it sounds more casual - you might say 'I watched it with interest' It's actually very difficult to lay down rules - any EFL teachers out there? English is a strange language.

vimfuego · 14/05/2007 09:14

It's "think", of course it is.

UnquietDad · 14/05/2007 09:12

I certainly didn't mis-hear it as a child.

TwirlyN · 13/05/2007 23:39

so, I went to watch a film. NOT I went to see a film. would that be right?

RustyBear · 13/05/2007 23:31

You see things all the time, but watching them is a conscious action.

MamaMaiasaura · 13/05/2007 23:30

yes. What a silly thing to worry about.

TwirlyN · 13/05/2007 23:29

bugger should I have put would instead of should in my first post

ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands · 13/05/2007 23:27

I hate it too. It makes me shudder even though I know that is very unreasonable of me

TwirlyN · 13/05/2007 23:25

oh before i do go, would one of you experts like to explain to me (i shall pretend, ummm I am Spanish), What is the difference, and when should i use, see and watch. Please. Thank you.

TwirlyN · 13/05/2007 23:22

I can't really remember what i was learnt at school. please does that mean i can't MN anymore, will you all think, like, i'm a dead rubbish person or summit, like i'm fick. 'cause i aint right, i really just can't be buvvered, 'cause like, I hold me hand up, i gets it wrong. I will go to me elocution leson now, where my teacher will learn me good grammer. Then just maybe, when my typing speed and grammer has also come up to scatch, you lot might let me back on here to chat wif you lot. So, meanwhile, where do i go for parenting help and advice?

edam · 13/05/2007 23:18

Chambers quotes have another think coming in the entry on think: "to be wrong about what one thinks (about future events or actions)".

Sooooo, giving in yet, UQ?

edam · 13/05/2007 23:14

I don't know why you are so bothered about it, UQ, but you will have to cave in one day and admit you've got it wrong! You are tying yourself in knots to cover up the fact that you mis-heard it as a child and never realised it is actually 'think'.

UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 23:01

I don't think it would work the other way round - for me it's far more likely that it's become corrupted.

I think "guess" just muddies the waters, given the difference between US and UK usage.

RustyBear · 13/05/2007 23:00

Sorry The OED has references to 'think' from 1937 and no evidence for 'thing'

Always preview when you're being pedantic....

RustyBear · 13/05/2007 22:59

The OED has references to 'think' from 1937 and no evidence for 'think'

Eric Partridge cites references in the US to 'another guess coming' from the 1920's, and probably earlier. Guess is closer to think than thing....

Also, of course, your razor explanation would work equally well the other way round

Original poster
hairymclary · 13/05/2007 22:58

but is that really a "thing"? Can the knowledge of something be termed as a "thing" that has come to me?
I don't buy it myself. Think makes much more sense.

OP posts:
UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:55

What I believe to be the actuality, i.e. the truth that you're not. You may or may not come to that with a think.

vimfuego · 13/05/2007 22:55

People get confused with the contraction "should've" (rarely written).

Original poster
hairymclary · 13/05/2007 22:54

but if, for example, I think that I am right about this argument then what "thing" will I have coming?

OP posts:
UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:53

A different thing, one diametrically opposed to the one they expected to have coming.

"If you think you're getting away with this you've got another thing coming, buster." Thing A - getting away with it. Thing B - not getting away with it.

"If you think I'm letting you go you've got another thing coming, mate." Thing A - release. Thing B - non-release.

"If you think you're walking out of here you've got another thing coming." Thing A - escaping. Thing B - not escaping.

In all the above cases, the person addressed doesn't have to have another think for the situation to change - it's the event which putatively changes things, not a different thought.

hana · 13/05/2007 22:50

another thing, as in something different to what you were expecting

Original poster
hairymclary · 13/05/2007 22:48

but then why would it be "another" thing coming?
they haven't had anything coming to them in the first place so how can it be another?

OP posts:
UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:46

SP - I explained below what thing I think is coming. I've never understood it to mean YOU'RE going to have to come up with another idea, I've always read it as EVENTS are going to make you change your mind - i.e. "something's going to happen, the opposite of what you believe".

I suppose I am applying Occam's Razor. There are two possibilities:

a) that it is genuinely 'think', because people mean "if you believe that [wrong] thing to be true, then you're going to have to sit down and have another think about that and come up with another idea"
or

b) People are generally ignorant, and over the years the use of the word 'thing' has become corrupted through laziness and estuary-speak to 'think'. As with 'nuffink'.

I know which I consider to be the one involving the fewer unnecessary complexities, and therefore I go with that.

(From the very first episode, RB - Doctor to Ian!)

RustyBear · 13/05/2007 22:38

I do lurk & occasionally contribute to the DW geeks thread!

I did think about
"Your arrogance is nearly as great as your ignorance." but I thought it would be unkind!
Do you recognise that one btw?