# Is "fortnight" common usage in Britain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033 "2011-04-03T13:54:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/101 "2011-04-09T13:56:09Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Accents in NI vary quite a lot by region and social class though. There’s no “Northern Ireland” accent. Right now that I’m sober I can give you a more lucid answer. Yes there is a Northern Irish accent, though with every single accent in the world there are regional variations . If there wasn’t a N.I. accent then people would’nt be able to say, yes that persons from N.I. on hearing them. Yes, they probably wouldn’t get the nuances between a speaker from Belfast and a speaker from South Armagh, but they’d recognise the larger area that they’re from. I have a mild Estuarine accent,I know and Cockneys know, that it is similar but recognisably different from an East End accent,. To those of us who live in this region. To an American or even a northern English person it will sound like a London area accent We all like to think that we’re unique in various ways but individuals make up groups, and all groups share certain characteristics. Even those from Northern Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/102 "2011-04-09T16:22:25Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > I’m terribly sorry if I’ve hurt your feelings by being lighthearted about your accent. > > I have, and have had many friends from the northeast, and they have never been sensitive about the way that they speak, or us southerners pulling their leg about it. > > But we’re all individuals, and you obviously ARE sensitive about people indulging in a little light banter about speech habits. > > So can I just say, don’t take it to heart, it was not my intention to hurt your feelings. Oh, don’t worry – my feelings are in no way hurt. I was more concerned about **John Mace** getting a confused understanding about things. Though I was genuinely interested in finding out what you where trying to say. It looked as though you almost had something, there. > [@](#): > > I am an extremely experienced world traveller and have up to date never encountered anyone who has found my accent unintelligible, but they’re out there, they’re out there.. Good for you. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/103 "2011-04-09T16:27:22Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Oh, don’t worry – my feelings are in no way hurt. I was more concerned about **John Mace** getting a confused understanding about things. Though I was genuinely interested in finding out what you where trying to say. It looked as though you almost had something, there. > Good for you. Nice to se that you’re not all bitter and twisted about this then. Be a brave little soldier now ! ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/104 "2011-04-09T17:18:52Z")
Seriously – what _were_ you trying to say? ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/105 "2011-04-09T17:51:21Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Seriously – what _were_ you trying to say? In the event that I get training In educating those with special educational needs I’ll tell you. But unfortunately I’m only used to talking to adults, never been a kiddy person, sorry ! Perhaps you could get your teacher to help you, or maybe one of your parents. I have too little spare time as it is so can’t guide you through stuff. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/106 "2011-04-09T22:56:20Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > In the event that I get training In educating those with special educational needs I’ll tell you. > > But unfortunately I’m only used to talking to adults, never been a kiddy person, sorry ! > > Perhaps you could get your teacher to help you, or maybe one of your parents. > > I have too little spare time as it is so can’t guide you through stuff. > > Sorry. I have no idea what you were trying to say either. And I’m much smarter than you. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/107 "2011-04-09T23:26:00Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > In the event that I get training In educating those with special educational needs I’ll tell you. > > But unfortunately I’m only used to talking to adults, never been a kiddy person, sorry ! > > Perhaps you could get your teacher to help you, or maybe one of your parents. > > I have too little spare time as it is so can’t guide you through stuff. > > Sorry. **Moderator Warning** **Lust4Life** , you’ve been around long enough to know that insults are not permitted in GQ. This is an official warning. I am also giving you an official instruction not to post drunk in this forum again, as you did yesterday. We really don’t need these incoherent posts. If you do so, you may be subject to a warning. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/108 "2011-04-09T23:27:02Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Right now that I’m sober I can give you a more lucid answer. > > Yes there is a Northern Irish accent, though with every single accent in the world there are regional variations . You said the accents are the same irrespective of background, I said they weren’t because there isn’t a single Northern Ireland accent. There are, of course, commonalities amongst accents in that part of the world but there isn’t a single NI accent. The shared characteristics do not mean all the accents are the same. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/109 "2011-04-09T23:45:07Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > And I’m much smarter than you. [Moderator Note] **put down the sabre** , let’s refrain from remarks like this in GQ. I’m making this a note rather than a warning, since it’s fairly mild. But don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/110 "2011-04-10T06:41:42Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > If there wasn’t a N.I. accent then people would’nt be able to say, yes that persons from N.I. on hearing them. [Denise Mina](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_Mina), born, raised and living in Glasgow has a very distinct Belfast accent (at least to my non native English ears). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/111 "2011-04-10T12:17:00Z")
I’ve always said and heard said “a week from Thursday.” And, yes, “two weeks from Thursday,” as well. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/112 "2011-04-10T16:03:21Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **Moderator Warning** > > **Lust4Life** , you’ve been around long enough to know that insults are not permitted in GQ. This is an official warning. > > I am also giving you an official instruction not to post drunk in this forum again, as you did yesterday. We really don’t need these incoherent posts. If you do so, you may be subject to a warning. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Warning accepted and deserved, I apologise to **WOT** for my insulting behaviour. He/She didn’t deserve my reaction. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/113 "2011-04-10T16:22:00Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Warning accepted and deserved, I apologise to **WOT** for my insulting behaviour. > > He/She didn’t deserve my reaction. Thank you for the apology. Colibri ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/114 "2011-04-10T16:39:07Z")
Wow. I never would have thought this thread had the chance of staying active for a fortnight, but maybe it will! ---
**Author:** ![rekkah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rekkah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rekkah)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/115 "2011-04-10T19:13:11Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Lowland Scots can seems to be a branch of one dialect of which N.E. English is one (Geordie), also Northern Ireland English, which shares many of the words and terms of the other two, and which when you’ve been exposed to it for long enough you realise that the accent has so many similarities. I also found this quite difficult to parse, but I think **Lust4Life** was trying to say that Geordie, Lowland Scots and Northern Irish dialects have a lot of similarities and appear to all be part of the same “branch” of the English dialect family tree. > [@](#): > > Reference N.I. accent , it doesn’t matter which community their from the accent is the same . I thought here he was trying to say that there wasn’t any difference between Protestant/Catholic speakers from the same geographical area - this is interesting to me as I have thought in the past I could detect a difference in Belfast Catholics and Protestants, but I’m far from an expert - does anyone have any more difinitive knowledge? > [@](#): > > Highland Scots is totally different from the Lowlanders accent,it is very clear and pure. > > AND understandable. I think by pure he probably means closer to English from England. I’m surprised by ther highland/lowland distinction - I would have said the most noticeable differences were East/West. The accent of someone from Edinburgh is on average easier for an English person to understand than someone from Glasgow, though I believe the Aberdeen accent can be quite difficult to understand. [QUOTE=Floater] Denise Mina, born, raised and living in Glasgow has a very distinct Belfast accent (at least to my non native English ears). [/QUOTE] That sounds more like a (relatively mild) Glasgow accent to me, though I can hear similarities. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/116 "2011-04-10T20:17:55Z")
> [@rekkah](#): > > The accent of someone from Edinburgh is on average easier for an English person to understand than someone from Glasgow, though I believe the Aberdeen accent can be quite difficult to understand. Only if you compare an upper middle class Edinburgh accent with a working class Glasgow accent. Working class Edinburgh accents are just as thick and impenetrable as Glaswegian accents. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/117 "2011-04-10T22:09:12Z")
Don’t forget that, although linguists do not make the distinction the general public does between “separate language” and “only dialect”, by all reasonable terms Scots (tyhe Western Germanic language, not the Gaelic) was at one time a “separate language” – the speech of a nation with a literary standard, not mutually intelligible with another tongue, which has converged with English so that today Scots is “a dialect of English”. But 1400s Scots such as, say, Dunbar wrote is not comprehensible to a reader of English without copious footnotes. Modern Scots, of course, is, even if dialectally strange to a Home Counties (England) or Standard American speaker. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/118 "2011-04-11T00:24:20Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > [Denise Mina](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_Mina), born, raised and living in Glasgow has a very distinct Belfast accent (at least to my non native English ears). I looked her up on youtube and automatically knew her as Scottish, although accents in the North-east of this island, especially outside Belfast, do often sound on first hearing like Scottish accents. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/119 "2011-04-11T03:39:07Z")
> [@manila](#): > > As a Native NE England ( not Geordie but Smoggie) I would invert these phrases such > > a week Monday = 18-04-11 > a fortnight Monday =25-04-11 I hear this usage from my English friends more often. I first thought it was a “weak Monday,” (in contrast to a “strong Monday,” I guess). ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033/120 "2011-04-11T07:34:48Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > [Denise Mina](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_Mina), born, raised and living in Glasgow has a very distinct Belfast accent (at least to my non native English ears). I’ve no idea where you’re getting Belfast from, she sounds entirely Glaswegian to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fortnight-common-usage-in-britain/577033.md?page=7)