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Original poster

Has DH got another think coming or have I got another thing coming???

812 replies

NotMyRealName2015 · 01/11/2015 14:56

I’ll clarify Blush

DH and I were having a light hearted debate about who was going to sort the garden out this afternoon (there are weeds growing out of weeds, and we have guests coming this week)
DH said that if I thought he was doing it today ‘I had another thing coming’.

I pointed out the phrase was ‘another think coming’ and that he should now go and do the garden as punishment for his failure. Grin
However, he is insisting I am wrong and that ‘thing’ is the right word. I say that doesn’t even make sense! What ‘thing’ is coming?? He just says ‘English doesn’t always make sense.’ (Not technically his first language but he has a British parent so has always been bilingual and is completely fluent)

MN jury needed. Who is correct??
Loser will obviously be doing the garden. Winner will sit down with coffee and biscuits, looking smug and saying 'you've missed a bit.'

OP posts:
DadDadDad · 02/11/2015 17:05

hackmum - I'm with you all the way until you say "thing" makes absolutely no sense. I used "thing" all my life until recently converting to "think" because the case is pretty clear.

However, for those first forty(!) years of my life, "thing" made sense to me, and others have explained how it made sense to them ("thing" in the sense of some vaguely threatening consequence if the listener persists in what they are thinking).

So, yes, "think" is correct, but please stop being so insistent that "thing" makes no sense at all, just because it makes no sense to you.

mercifulTehlu · 02/11/2015 17:03

Jeez. I must resist looking at the FB responses or I'll blow a gasket. Ignorance I can handle. Wilful ignorance drives me mad.

VioletBumble · 02/11/2015 17:00

hackmum - obviously some things are just too hard for the hard of thinking Wink

hackmum · 02/11/2015 16:57

I've come back to this thread after several hours (in which, fortunately, I was productive and did some work) and I can't believe there are still people who are arguing it's "thing". WHY? Why not just admit you're wrong? Also, what is it with people who believe that "think" isn't a noun? Who have never, apparently, heard the phrase: "I'll have a think about that"?

Look, people, for once and for all, it's "think". We've proved that it's "think" (through references to the OED and elsewhere), we've explained logically why it's "think" and we've shown that "thing" makes absolutely no sense. Why still argue the toss?

CactusAnnie · 02/11/2015 16:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 02/11/2015 16:34

I know, Grouchy (but it's still officially incorrect)
Simply making a comparison

Same as the Shakespearian quote 'All that glisters is not gold'. How many times does the word 'glisters' change to 'glitters' or 'glistens' when people quote it? Understandable, but still not right.

GrouchyKiwi · 02/11/2015 16:24

I think that one is more understandable because it's an archaic form, Evans, and "derring" isn't used in English in any other context.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 02/11/2015 16:21

It's similar to people who say 'daring do', when in actual fact, it's 'derring do'
(As in, 'Getting up to deeds of derring do'). People have started to pronounce it the way they hear it.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 02/11/2015 16:18

It's 'think'

'Another think coming is the original form of the colloquial phrase aimed at someone who has a mistaken view. It comes from the old comical expression, If that’s what you think, you’ve got another think coming.

Because think in the second part of the expression is (intentionally) ungrammatical, some people hear another thing coming and repeat it as such. Plus, another thing coming usually makes literal sense, so it’s now more common than another think coming'

'Another thing' has just been borne from the original 'think', much like when people say 'should of, would of, could of' instead of 'have'. Before we know it, that will be normal too Haloween Sad

Finbar · 02/11/2015 16:18

Think

squoosh · 02/11/2015 16:18

ALWAYS an effective strategy!

GrouchyKiwi · 02/11/2015 16:16

Thank fuck, squoosh. I was just about to distract you with the Wareing.

MsJuniper · 02/11/2015 16:15

Frequentblooper, I do not understand what you mean when you say "wouldn't you rather be happy than right?"

Jux · 02/11/2015 16:15

I said "somethink" once when I was about 7 just to see what it felt like. It felt wrong. Another think coming is right.

fessmess · 02/11/2015 16:14

It's not about being grammatically correct, it's about using an idiom correctly. Talk about dumbing down of society!

squoosh · 02/11/2015 16:13

I'll stop now!

squoosh · 02/11/2015 16:13

And my fave.....

'"Thing"...it's supposed to be a mild threat of something horrible happening...not an opportunity to go and have a "think"...(however, as it's an old saying I think the PC world we live in now would switch it to "think"...go and have a think about your behaviour/attitude...)'

GrouchyKiwi · 02/11/2015 16:12

It was those two in particular that nearly had me tapping away furiously. In both senses of the word. Grin

squoosh · 02/11/2015 16:12

'Why on earth would you say "think" it's grammatically incorrect! Just a lazy (and wrong) use of the English language.'

squoosh · 02/11/2015 16:11

'It's thing. The sort of people who say "think" are also the people who say "anythink" and "somethink".'

squoosh · 02/11/2015 16:10

Can you resist this gem Grouchy?

'Haha in English it is definitely thing. I'm guessing it's those with strong regional accents getting it wrong'

Angry Grin
fessmess · 02/11/2015 16:09

I cannot believe this! In all my years I have NEVER heard anyone say "thing" as it makes no sense!

It's think. End. Of.

GrouchyKiwi · 02/11/2015 16:08

"Someone is wrong on the internet" is trying to take me over on the Facebook page. I am resisting like a champ.

squoosh · 02/11/2015 16:07

Being right makes me happy.

Frequentblooper · 02/11/2015 16:06

I don't understand why people get angry about this ? More people say thing wether it's think or not I would say both are right with no anger in my body ? Wow I don't "think" I will come back to this thread as it's very unfriendly at times. I thought it would be sweet to say that both partners are right in this to the original poster. surely that would make for a happy marriage? wouldn't people rather be happy than right? (Runs to safety of a friendly thread)