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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:
DimpledThighs · 13/05/2007 22:16

it's irritating, hate is a strong word - reserve that for spelling errors!

GibbonInARibbon · 13/05/2007 22:18

don't hold back unquietdad

UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:18

And while we're at it, anyone who thinks it's "should of" has got another THING coming!

And that goes double for those who get their 'it's' and their 'its' muddled up!...

And their 'their' and their 'there'!

RustyBear · 13/05/2007 22:19

Sorry UQD - - it's "think"

UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:20

Tint.

RustyBear · 13/05/2007 22:20

Tis

UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:23

I believe I have been here before, but I have read all the arguments about "think" and am totally unconvinced as to their logic. Falls into the "should of" category for me.

And there are kids up here who don't know the difference between "lend" and "borrow" too. "Can you borrow me a pen"? Aaaagh! And you can't "fetch" a person TO a place.

colditz · 13/05/2007 22:23

It is think.

"If you think that, you have another think coming"

It means - 'Think again, you will soon have to change your mind'

Original poster
hairymclary · 13/05/2007 22:24

It is think. Why would it be thing? What other thing would they have coming? And if they have another thing coming, what was the first thing?

OP posts:
colditz · 13/05/2007 22:24

One peculiar to this area is "Weary" and "Wary" - they seem to be interchangable and it drives me scranny!

GibbonInARibbon · 13/05/2007 22:25

my goodness

UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:28

But that would be "another THOUGHT". There's no such thing as a think, unless in the context of "sitting and having a think", which isn't what is meant.

The first thing is - I believe X is going to happen. The second thing is - no, Y is gonna happen, matey.

You have a THING coming to you in other expressions in English. "He'll get what's coming to him."... "He'll have something coming to him if he doesn't watch out"... "I didn't see that thing coming." Nobody has a "think" coming to them in any other exprssion.

Original poster
hairymclary · 13/05/2007 22:30

Ahh yes, but this one really is a colloquialism. Using think instead of thought.
You think something, and in a minute you'll have another think coming along.

OP posts:
RustyBear · 13/05/2007 22:32

You're right about all the rest UQD, but I can never see why you say 'think' isn't logical - You think something, you're wrong, so you will have to have another think - not some totally unrelated, unspecified 'thing'
However, I suspect I'll never convince you, just as you'll never convince me

"Logic, my dear UQD, merely enables one to be wrong with authority."

SenoraPostrophe · 13/05/2007 22:33

yes, I was just thinking that I'll have to have a think about that. notb a thought, you see.

UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:34

Am unconvinced. That would still be a thought.

There's no other example in English of "think" being used to mean "thought". You don't say "a think came to me" or "I was struck by a think" or "in think and word and deed" or "that was a kind think".

They mean two totally different things. "I had a think about that" is fine, but it means something different from "I had a thought about that."

It's people getting the G sound wrong, pure and simple.

UnquietDad · 13/05/2007 22:35

do you know me, Rustybear?
Quoting Patrick Troughton at me!

SenoraPostrophe · 13/05/2007 22:36

but "you've got another think coming" doesn't mean "thought" or thing for that matter. I always understood it as "you've got another think coming"="you'll have to have another think about that".

thing just doesn't make sense really. what thing is coming?

hana · 13/05/2007 22:36

agree with unquietdad
....you've got another thing coming

as in you'll get what you're not expecting

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?

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!)

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:
hana · 13/05/2007 22:50

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

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.

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:
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