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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:
DixieNormas · 02/11/2015 16:05

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clam · 02/11/2015 15:55

I'm not going to look. I'll get too angry.

Mrsleighdelamare · 02/11/2015 15:54

Think

squoosh · 02/11/2015 15:47

I've just looked at the MN Facebook page. Oh dear, a lot of determined thingers there.

Jayne35 · 02/11/2015 15:41

Most definitely think, thing makes no sense. Just clicked on this link from Facebook and the people commenting on the article are mainly Thingers [Confused]

Also I HATE the use of the work loosing and my own DCs insist on saying 'By purpose' which drives me mad Grin

GrouchyKiwi · 02/11/2015 15:40

I made the mistake of reading the replies to this question on Facebook. Confused

FinestGrundyTurkey · 02/11/2015 15:38

it's think, of course - the proof is in the pudding

Amy0039 · 02/11/2015 15:31

I've always said thing, but now that I'm considering the phrase, think does make more sense. Waffle aside, I thin it's 'thing'. :-)

Frequentblooper · 02/11/2015 15:30

Ok ? Confused

DrCoconut · 02/11/2015 15:28

DH says think instead of thing e.g. somethink, nothink. Gives me the rage as my mum was one for "correct" speech and never let us say things wrongly like that. No chimbleys, mirrows, thinks in our house. Sorry, OT a bit there.

DadDadDad · 02/11/2015 15:24

Frequent - that's been covered in this thread: "think" is NOT ungrammatical - it's a noun and perfectly entitled to be slotted in after "another". (eg "I know I asked you to have a think about whether we should invite your mother for Christmas, but after reading MN, I've realised it would be a disaster, so maybe you could another think about what we do").

Frequentblooper · 02/11/2015 15:19

Hahaha daddaddad ! Ok X

Frequentblooper · 02/11/2015 15:18

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.

So both are right anyway ? But thing is now what people say more often. As it says thing is more common nowadays. You and your husband can celebrate that you were both right ! Grin

DadDadDad · 02/11/2015 15:17

Frequent - but the point is, if you say "think coming" in normal speech, the 'k' and 'c' will elide and those who think it is "thing" will hear "thing", those who think it is "think" will hear "think".

If anyone ever does hear the distinction and questions it, point them to this thread, and job done! Smile

Furiosa · 02/11/2015 15:08

This thread reminds me of a story a friend told me about their grandad who put salad cream on his apple pie as he had mistaken it for custard.

Everyone in the family tried to tell him it wasn't custard but they were wrong because he was always right and anyway what if he actually likes apple pie and salad cream? So, yeah, "Mr Always Right" ate apple pie and salad cream while everyone else looked on in horror.

Admit your mistakes, don't be too proud lest you end up eating them one day!

OR

Grandad was a culinary genius and the aforementioned food comb is delicious. I don't know. Don't listen to me, just rambling Smile

Frequentblooper · 02/11/2015 15:05

All I know is if I start saying you have another think coming I'm going to get a lot of weird looks from people right or wrong ! Hahahaha

clam · 02/11/2015 14:31

OK, so tango you can have some special MN Flowers for standing corrected and pledging to be a better person in future and use the correct term.

Unlike all those other people who say they're going to carry on saying 'thing' even though it's wrong. Angry

Tangoandcreditcards · 02/11/2015 14:24

Fascinating. I was SO sure it was thing (was one of the first to post). It's just what I've always said, I never even thought about it too hard. I think I thought it was a sort of vague threat, where the 'other thing' was something mildly unpleasant for the recipient.

I'm a bit of a pedant and I normally get this sort of question right, so I just assumed and posted without even checking. That'll teach me!

Standing corrected.

WizardOfToss · 02/11/2015 14:24

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CactusAnnie · 02/11/2015 14:23

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CactusAnnie · 02/11/2015 14:20

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spiderlight · 02/11/2015 14:20

It's clearly 'think' - it means that the person needs to think again because their first conclusion is incorrect. I have never, ever heard anyone say it as 'thing'.

BugritAndTidyup · 02/11/2015 14:19

You said EXACTLY that above, that 'THING' makes MORE sense than 'THINK'. I think it was you, anyway.

You're right, I did, but in this case I was referring specifically to what I was saying in that post. I'm on two minds now as to which makes more sense to me now: some of the posts have made me see the phrase in a new light. I've never given this much thought to it.

in normal language, a THING is a thing, an object. Not a concept or a belief. People don't generally refer to their thoughts or beliefs as "things".

Well, think of a phrase like 'Something happened.' In my view using 'thing' to refer to an event that could happen is part of normal language.

BugritAndTidyup · 02/11/2015 14:13

Crossposted, annie, but my point still stands I think. I accept its wrong; what I'm pointing out is that there is a thing being referred to. Many people have claimed otherwise.

CactusAnnie · 02/11/2015 14:11

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