Mirror Image - Need a refresher course in this...

[Dracorat]

Well, then I'll refrain from using as such here, but where I come from, it does sometimes get used in place of "second best".

 

[Thurbane]

Well, then I'll refrain from using as such here, but where I come from, it does sometimes get used in place of "second best".

Don't worry, some of us knew what you meant - in fact, I did right from your intial post. I guess some people are still in "copyright lawyer" mode!

 

[Nail]

Well, then I'll refrain from using as such here, but where I come from, it does sometimes get used in place of "second best".

That's because it's being used incorrectly. (shrug)

I have a friend that for the longest time pronounced the word "chasm" with the first 2 letters pronounced like the first 2 letters in the word "chance". Didn't matter how often he spoke that way; it's still the wrong pronunciation, right?


...and I'm unclear on what bearing a "copyright lawyer" has on speaking english. Surely you mean "English Teacher", Thurbane?

 

[Dracorat]

Well, its an archaic word in origin and its true meaning isn't oft-understood, so I would refrain from using it in an official capacity. However, boards aren't usually an official capacity in which case I would use such a word with its commonly-accepted meanings, even if those meanings aren't Merriam in nature.

Around here, 'penultimate' means second-to-best, but loosely. We even have stores that use such a name, such as 'Penultimate Costumes' which is a local store that specializes in clothes and costumes, but in a thrift-store sort of way.

However, it could easily be a more local definition. It's proper for where I hail from and I figured other people would understand it to mean the same thing. Even if the definition wasn't "official" in the way of doctionary.com etc.

But hey, you got the gist of what I was saying and we've certainly spent more time on a single word than we needed to. =)

 

[Hypersmurf]

Well, its an archaic word in origin and its true meaning isn't oft-understood, so I would refrain from using it in an official capacity.

We shouldn't use the word correctly, because people don't understand it; instead, we should use it incorrectly, and hope people will understand what we meant?

Goodness, no wonder people get it wrong!

-Hyp.

 

[Dracorat]

*sigh* That's putting words in my mouth there Hyp.

I just mean I wouldn't use it in a speech for example. In the unlikely event I did, I would make sure to use it according to its accepted meaning.

Boards, being more casual - I will use unofficial meanings on words. But since this one was hotly contested, I'll refrain. At this point, I just wanted to give my explanation for why I did in the first place. There was no comment on what should or should not happen nor an assertion that people should feel as I do. Just an explanation.,

 

[Artoomis]

Actually, Penultimate often does mean "second best."

For example, the "penultimate battle" in a campaign is the one just before the final, climatic battle.

Any time that second form the last also means second the to best - as last is often best.

"Penultimate costumes" thrift store certainly could mean second to the last - as in one step above junk.

 

[Dracorat]

Their advertisements use the opposite view though. "Why pay more for the best when we have comparable costumes for smaller prices."

Doesn't sound like a second to worst attitude, but then I guess its possible that too could be a change in marketing attitude since the name was christened too. But meh. =)

 

[Infiniti2000]

Don't let Hyp try to tell you how to use a word. Hyp still spells it "aluminium", "colour", etc. Wrong! All wrong!

 

[Dracorat]

Ah he's English! That explains it!

Well, Hyp, for your satisfaction, we 'Yanks' can't get anything right. =)