3 ms·

and don't get me started on "biweekly"

• OJFord 6y ago
  That really is a weird one, because here in the UK we say 'fortnightly' (for 'every other week'); so 'biweekly' would definitely be taken to mean 'twice per week'. That also matches 'biannual' (an event that occurs every other year is 'biennial'), so 'biweekly' as 'fortnightly' is certainly to be proscribed, in my book.
  • smitty1e 6y ago
    Let's standardize on "26 times per quarter" just to chafe everyone.
  • jp57 6y ago
    > so 'biweekly' as 'fortnightly' is certainly to be proscribed, in my book. Except that's literally the dictionary definition of the word. And "biennial" and "biannual" are synonyms.
    • OJFord 6y ago
      ...in the US. I only have Collins' concise to hand, which gives the definitions I have and doesn't even mention (not even proscribed or US etc.) other uses. And Collins is pretty permissive. And no they're not. 'Biennial' events occur once per two year period; 'biannual' events occur four times per two year (twice per year) period. For example, in horticulture 'a biennial [plant]' is one that has a single flowering/reproduction cycle over two years. (Cf. 'annuals', 'perennials'.)
  • jsilence 6y ago
    biweekly versus fortnitely is really a battle royale!