3 ms·

This is the first time I've seen a American news platform use the British version of "tabling." In US Congress, "tabling a bill" effectively means suspending a

This is the first time I've seen a American news platform use the British version of "tabling." In US Congress, "tabling a bill" effectively means suspending action on it indefinitely. Only in British English is a bill "tabled for discussion."

parineum 4y ago
I (an American) was actually unaware that "tabled" could mean the same as "shelved". I'd always heard those used as antonyms but I've also only really heard the word "tabled" used as it was in the articled, "tabled for discussion". I'm a bit suspicious I've heard it phrased that way for clarity's sake. Probably some good editors behind that.
- rhacker 4y ago
  American here. Tabling to me means putting it on hold and coming back to it later when we have other things figured out.
- pessimizer 4y ago
  It's an autoantonym, but one where different Englishes have chosen different preferences. Like "moot."
  - triceratops 4y ago
    Is "moot" an autoantonym? It just takes a different meaning depending on if it's a verb or an adjective.
    - pessimizer 4y ago
      It always has the same meaning if you squint hard enough (like many autoantonyms.) A very similar meaning to "tabled", which is why it came to mind. If a question is moot, it has been proposed but isn't necessarily useful. It could be because it was a question about a decision that has already been taken, or it could be because it's the first time the question has been asked. If a motion has been tabled, it is an issue that is pending a decision (on the table.) When Americans table a motion, they're saying that the only thing currently being done with the issue is to leave it on the table (active) to be dealt with later. When others table a motion, they're putting it on the table to be dealt with now. Americans leave things on the table to be dealt with, others put things on the table to be dealt with.

3 ms·

This is the first time I've seen a American news platform use the British version of "tabling." In US Congress, "tabling a bill" effectively means suspending a

by stonogo 4y ago

parineum 4y ago
I (an American) was actually unaware that "tabled" could mean the same as "shelved". I'd always heard those used as antonyms but I've also only really heard the word "tabled" used as it was in the articled, "tabled for discussion". I'm a bit suspicious I've heard it phrased that way for clarity's sake. Probably some good editors behind that.
- rhacker 4y ago
  American here. Tabling to me means putting it on hold and coming back to it later when we have other things figured out.
- pessimizer 4y ago
  It's an autoantonym, but one where different Englishes have chosen different preferences. Like "moot."
  - triceratops 4y ago
    Is "moot" an autoantonym? It just takes a different meaning depending on if it's a verb or an adjective.
    - pessimizer 4y ago
      It always has the same meaning if you squint hard enough (like many autoantonyms.) A very similar meaning to "tabled", which is why it came to mind. If a question is moot, it has been proposed but isn't necessarily useful. It could be because it was a question about a decision that has already been taken, or it could be because it's the first time the question has been asked. If a motion has been tabled, it is an issue that is pending a decision (on the table.) When Americans table a motion, they're saying that the only thing currently being done with the issue is to leave it on the table (active) to be dealt with later. When others table a motion, they're putting it on the table to be dealt with now. Americans leave things on the table to be dealt with, others put things on the table to be dealt with.