Pedants unite! Please come & vote for “another think coming”!

[GiantKitten]

Dominic Grieve is reported to have said “another thing”!
In the Commons

mobile.twitter.com/Natt/status/1169200952949321728

Thing thing thing. Think makes no sense.

You can say it as much as you like but it's wrong. If you THINK that, you've got another THINK coming. Look it up!

Think! Of course it's think, people are so bloody ignorant these days!

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

If you think that (ie [first thought] I'm going to lend you 20 grand), then you've another think coming (ie [next thought on its way to you] I'm NOT going to lend you 20 grand).

'The whole reason that this [idiom] became used is due to the repetition of the word think in its two senses. Most phrases like this have something playful — repetition, unexpected imagery etc'

Spot on. #TeamThink

It's not even necessary, for the phrase to work, for 'think' to actually be usable as a noun (although it clearly is). In fact, the mild ungrammaticality gives the phrase (which after all is supposed to be a somewhat threatening warning) more force.

Think.

Why is this discussion evening happening? Thing makes no sense at all. I am traumatised.

Still thing.

Thing thing thing. Think makes no sense.

Message for you here

It’s thing.

🙄

It's happening because, first, the difference between 'thing' and 'think', spoken in this particular combination of words (preceding the k sound at the beginning of 'coming') and in many accents, is minimal, and, second, there is just about a basis for interpretation of 'thing' as making sense (even though it doesn't if you consider the structure of the idiom), similarly to how 'adverse' sort of makes sense even though it's 'averse'.

(in phrases such as 'I'm not averse to a glass of wine every now and then')

It’s thing.

No it's not.

MashedSpud - am hoping you're now saying that just to wind people up but am also worried that you actually really believe that.

It is think.

The history of usage of the phrase proves this.

Thing has become commonplace due to mishearing.

On the plus side, some of the posters on this thread are making me feel MUCH better about the rate at which my Year 10s are able to recognise and learn from their mistakes.

Think

Definitely 'think '. I've never heard anyone say 'thing' or realised it was common.

It's interesting to see so many posters on a thread in Pedants' corner who clearly aren't pedants.

If they were pedants they'd know it's think.

Oh Jux you're so right, again. I cringe when people say, (usually nodding sagely all the while)
"well of course, the proof is in the pudding."
No it's fucking well not!

It is definitely thinK.

#teamthink

Just another little vote here!

@Tartyflette Whenever I hear someone say 'the proof is in the pudding' I always get a mental image of someone with their hands stuck in an old fashioned suet pudding rooting around for whatever proof they think might be in there.

For some reason it annoys me more than it should.

I fear that many of these old sayings are going a similar way and in the process losing their meaning and, usually, ceasing to make any sense.

It's interesting to see so many posters on a thread in Pedants' corner who clearly aren't pedants.

If they were pedants they'd know it's think.

I wouldn't be quite so emphatic, pigsDOfly, but I pretty much agree with you.

I was someone who said "thing" most of my life. When I was confronted with "think", I didn't insist I was right, I went away and looked for evidence. (I linked to some earlier in this thread, and even got corrected on part of what I said, which I welcome). It becomes clear that the theory that "think" came first (with the witty play on "think" being repeated) and "thing" being a mishearing is much more convincing than the alternatives.

Good pedantry weighs up what dictionaries say, examples from good writers, and the usage of competent speakers - it doesn't (just!) rely on one's own prejudice.

It's not my prejudice DadDadDad.

I'm aware that there is an opinion that 'thing' is correct but having looked into it as much as I felt was necessary and, having lived a fairly long life during which I've read the works of a great many 'good' writers and never, ever heard any 'competent speakers' use the word thing in this context. I have concluded that 'think' is very likely correct.

My post about the pedants on here who clearly aren't pedants was written 'tongue in cheek'. Perhaps I should have put a smiley in my post so that people would understand.

I’m making a rice pudding tomorrow. It will be eaten. Shall I provide proof?