4 ms·
Some languages, like French, make the distinction not on the prefix but on the noun used to refer to the period: * bimensuel/elle : twice a month * bimestriel
by Renaud 5y ago
Some languages, like French, make the distinction not on the prefix but on the noun used to refer to the period:
* bimensuel/elle : twice a month
* bimestriel/elle: every 2 months
And trimestriel and semestriel for every 3 and 6 months respectively.
It's strange that English left this ambiguity in usage when the semi- prefix exists.
- josephg 5y agoIts strange American English created this ambiguity in usage. There's a perfectly good english language noun which means "2 weeks". The word is "Fortnight". We use it all the time here in Australia - eg "This is a fortnightly meeting" / "Lets meet back up in a fortnight and discuss progress". I consider teaching "fortnight" to americans a gift I insist on giving to every american colleague I work with. Its already in your dictionaries, after all. Please use it, and you're welcome!
- wyattpeak 5y agoI don't think it's at all peculiar to American English. Fortnight solves only one of the six situations spoken of in the article (twice a week/month/year, once every two weeks/months/years). It's good for that, but we're in the same position Americans are if we're trying to talk about something happening every two years.
- drstewart 5y agoHere's a gift to you: the opposite of "here in Australia we do something" isn't "only Americans don't do it".
- Dylan16807 5y ago> Its strange American English created this ambiguity in usage. There's a perfectly good english language noun which means "2 weeks". The word is "Fortnight". ...the ambiguity exists whether or not you use fortnight! Fortnight combined with semi- will do pretty well, assuming people don't screw up semi-. But you still need an unambiguous term for "every other month" before the problem is solved. Maybe if you can change the schedule to quarterly?
- pmkiwi 5y agoTIL bimestriel today thanks :) (French native speaker... shame on me!)
- nbernard 5y agoStill, in French, you should avoid or clarify what you mean by "bimensuel" when it is important, as many people understand/use it for "bimestriel". "bimestriel" is not ambiguous however.
- gpderetta 5y agoItalian has exactly the same distinction: {bi,tri,se}mestre is always a period of 2,3,6 months, and the suffix -ale make it an adjective. Bi-mensile/bi-settimanale, which directly translates to bimonthly/biweekly, mean twice a month/week but I wouldn't be surprised if they would cause confusion even in Italian. I can't think of any specific adjective for a two weeks period.