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

[NotMyRealName2015]

I’ll clarify

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.
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.'

[Redglitter]

It's nipped

[FattyNinjaOwl]

Yes its nipped.
I've just seen well instead if while on Facebook

[FattyNinjaOwl]

Of not if. Stupid fat thumbs.

[DadDadDad]

Yes, it's nipped. You guys are no fun, I could have had maizie thinking she'd gone mad for a moment. sorry

[DadDadDad]

Anyway, I agree this thread should be moved to PC, but someone ought to check with the OP as she would be expecting this thread to vanish after 90 days.

[maizieD]

Sorry DDD,. And I was prepared to fight for 'nipped' to the death.

[hudyerwheesht]

I'll bet the OP never thought it would kick off in quite this way.

I used "thing" for years (either because I heard it that way or others were actually saying that) until I saw it written down then I thought "ah, that makes more sense"

It makes sense to me as a play on words in that context -obviously I wouldn't use it as normal speech, as a pp said that would be "another thought coming. "

Never occurred to me that the thing would be something like an argument, a thump,etc.

The problem is you could argue both sides except think is obviously correct so this could go on...

Never read the words "think" and "thing" so many times in one night in my entire life. You when you see a word too many times it starts to look odd and wrong...?

[leavemealone2015]

Definitely think!!!

[Fizrim]

Slightly off-topic, but someone in a local group on my FB is asking about public displays for 'bomb-fire night'.

[MaidOfStars]

bomb-fire night

That could actually be clever.

[FishWithABicycle]

It is "think" originally.
However DH who is a world expert on this sort of thing says:
although "think" was the original phrase, the long-standing variant of using "thing" has been absorbed into the English language and is now widely understood as also correct evenue though it may have once been a mis-hearing ofor "think". Language evolves through common usage and this is one example of that evolution.

So can we come to a consensus that both sides are right before we reach 1000 posts?

[FishWithABicycle]

sorry the "evenue" there was my phone getting confused. Supposed to be "even"

Likewise "ofor" supposed to be "of"

I hate this phone.

[partialderivative]

I would have said 'think' (actually I would more probably have said 'thought')

But I stand corrected as evidenced by those masters of the melody and champions of linguistic accuracy, Chas 'n Dave.

In 'There Ain't No Pleasin' You' their website quotes the lyrics as being:

^Now if you think, I don’t mean what I say and I’m only bluffing
You’ve got another thing coming, I’m telling ya that for nothing^

[DadDadDad]

Yes, I believe the OED quotes "thing" as a "misapprehension", so your DH should get in touch with them - I'm sure they employ some well-qualified people, but no doubt they would want to hear from a world expert.

I think it is the case that widespread usage can wear away the original meaning and usurp the previously accepted form (look at the history of the word "nice"). So it's conceivable that "thing coming" could one day wipe out "think coming", but we're not there yet.

[squoosh]

So can we come to a consensus that both sides are right before we reach 1000 posts?

No.

[reallybadidea]

Here's another good one:

My friend's daughter has been unwell and still too weak to go to school. The GP reportedly said 'it's path on the course' with this virus.

[DadDadDad]

GP obviously doesn't play golf.

[BeccaMumsnet]

Hi everyone - we're going to pop this one over to Classics

[DadDadDad]

Some of us thought it better in Pedants' Corner, but MNHQ knows best!

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

HaHa for Pedants' Corner Dad

[purpleponcho]

Hardly a Classic.

[DadDadDad]

Hardly a Classic

I think you are right, as it doesn't have the broad scope of a classic. That's why I said PC, despite Juggling's mockery. This is exactly the sort of thing that gets seriously discussed in PC.