Two weeks is a fortnight. A two week cycle is 'fortnightly'.

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0

I keep seeing 'bi-weekly' on here, and it strikes me as odd when there's already a perfectly good word in the English language for two weeks...

I'm guess it's just not in common usage in NA English?
 

coldmeat

Diamond Member
Jul 10, 2007
9,234
142
106
Nope. I would laugh at somebody if they used it.

I'm from Canada btw.
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
Originally posted by: coldmeat
Nope. I would laugh at somebody if they used it.

I'm from Canada btw.

I laugh at you for making up a hodge-podge of words when a single word already exists.

I guess we're just smarter than j00 ;)

Like the rest of the world, I lump Canadians in with Yanks, btw. ;)

 
Dec 4, 2002
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"Yanks" as you call us, all should be familiar with such terms. This is, of course, unless they forgot their 6th grade history lesson. ;)

President Ab and the Gett. Address.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,134
2,450
126
Australians seem to like that word for some reason. I've never heard any other nationality use it commonly, though.
 

her209

No Lifer
Oct 11, 2000
56,336
11
0
Originally posted by: dug777
Originally posted by: coldmeat
Nope. I would laugh at somebody if they used it.

I'm from Canada btw.
I laugh at you for making up a hodge-podge of words when a single word already exists.

I guess we're just smarter than j00 ;)

Like the rest of the world, I lump Canadians in with Yanks, btw. ;)
I guess this is the part where you tell us, "Fosters... its Australian for beer."
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
Originally posted by: her209
Originally posted by: dug777
Originally posted by: coldmeat
Nope. I would laugh at somebody if they used it.

I'm from Canada btw.
I laugh at you for making up a hodge-podge of words when a single word already exists.

I guess we're just smarter than j00 ;)

Like the rest of the world, I lump Canadians in with Yanks, btw. ;)
I guess this is the part where you tell us, "Fosters... its Australian for beer."

:cries;

;)

As I understand it, Fosters sold overseas is actually far superior to the Fosters they sell here, which tastes like urine with aluminium shavings marinaded in it...
 
Sep 12, 2004
16,852
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Its use is considered anachronistic here.

I mean, a score is also equal to twenty but nobody uses it except when quoting Abe Lincoln.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,578
982
126
Dude, if you told a new hire that they were to be paid on a fortnightly pay cycle they'd probably look at you as though you had 10 heads.
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Its use is considered anachronistic here.

That's a pity, because it's a perfectly useful and sensible word.

Replacing it with the clumsy and forced 'bi-weekly' is a dumbing-down of our wonderfully expressive language.
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,865
10,651
147
Originally posted by: dug777

I keep seeing 'bi-weekly' on here, and it strikes me as odd when there's already a perfectly good word in the English language for two weeks...

We use bi-weekly instead of fortnightly, that's true, for something occurring every two weeks.

But even many of us use fortnight for "two weeks", without histrionics; there is no one word substitute that comes to mind in the English language.

However, my Aussie friend, as I have never tired of pointing out to my Brit friends, it's incredibly ignorant to call all Americans "Yank". ;)
 
S

SlitheryDee

Look, I'll make bi-weekly as cool as fortnight.

*********drumroll**************

biweekly

fortnight is just fourteen nights shortened, after all. Oooooh how cool.
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
Originally posted by: Perknose
Originally posted by: dug777

I keep seeing 'bi-weekly' on here, and it strikes me as odd when there's already a perfectly good word in the English language for two weeks...

We use bi-weekly instead of fortnightly, that's true, for something occurring every two weeks.

But even many of us use fortnight for "two weeks", without histrionics; there is no one word substitute that comes to mind in the English language.

However, my Aussie friend, as I have never tired of pointing out to my Brit friends, it's incredibly ignorant to call all Americans "Yank". ;)

You are of course correct :thumbsup:

It's a bad habit of mine :eek:

It's better than calling you all Seppos at least...

 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
Originally posted by: SlitheryDee
Look, I'll make bi-weekly as cool as fortnight.

*********drumroll**************

biweekly

fortnight is just fourteen nights shortened, after all. Oooooh how cool.

Wow. You're my hero. Thanks for pointing out the globvious.

*********standing ovation**********

If we've got one word that works, why make up another, and a hyphenated word to boot :shudder;

I suppose it's easier to understand, if you're an idiot ;)

 
Sep 12, 2004
16,852
59
86
Originally posted by: dug777
Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Its use is considered anachronistic here.

That's a pity, because it's a perfectly useful and sensible word.

Replacing it with the clumsy and forced 'bi-weekly' is a dumbing-down of our wonderfully expressive language.
I imagine we USians use bi-weekly instead to avoid trying to sound Old World continental, which some feel carries connotations of pretentiousness.
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
4
0
I have to go see a bloke about a wallaby, so I'll continue this tea party at a later date :beer:

 

PHiuR

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
9,539
2
76
18th century just sent you a letter that takes two weeks to deliver. they want their word back.