# Let's abolish the word "penultimate" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 4, 2007, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726 "2007-04-04T16:31:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/41 "2007-04-05T09:30:52Z")
I suggest we decimate the english language - go through a thesaurus and cross out every tenth word. If that takes out penultimate, so be it. Si ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/42 "2007-04-05T10:12:15Z")
[QUOTE=si\_blakely] I suggest we decimate the english language - go through a thesaurus and cross out every tenth word. If that takes out penultimate, so be it. Si [/QUOTE] Good idea. Can we start with the second last one though? ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/43 "2007-04-05T10:51:23Z")
While we’re at it we should end women’s suffrage. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/44 "2007-04-05T11:00:12Z")
I see dumb people. They’re everywhere. They don’t know they’re dumb. (Yes, it’s ripped off from _The Sixth Sense_) ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/45 "2007-04-05T13:24:44Z")
[QUOTE=AHoosierMama] Pretty soon the wrong will be right. If enough people continue to use a word incorrectly, the definition will evolve. I love that about language. [/QUOTE] And this is normalcy, is it? ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/46 "2007-04-05T14:11:11Z")
Don’t abolish the word, just make people carry a license stating that they’re trained and educated in its proper use, and implement a fine for misuse of the word. Proceeds from the fine can be used to educate people about the proper use of commonly misused words. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/47 "2007-04-05T14:26:14Z")
If you all don’t quit your yapping about “penultimate,” I might go all nothosonomistic on you. (I just _had_ to chime in with my favorite odd word.) ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/48 "2007-04-05T14:34:50Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] If you all don’t quit your yapping about “penultimate,” I might go all nothosonomistic on you. (I just _had_ to chime in with my favorite odd word.) [/QUOTE] Which appears to not be an actual word. Where did you find this friend of yours? ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/49 "2007-04-05T14:49:56Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] Which appears to not be an actual word. Where did you find this friend of yours? [/QUOTE] [Happy you asked.](http://www.rinkworks.com/words/funwords.shtml) Although I may have the form of the word a bit off. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/50 "2007-04-05T15:06:58Z")
I forbid the abolition of penultimate. Everytime I hear the word I think of one of my favorite Far Sides, “Second to last of the Mohicans”, and get a good giggle for the day. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/51 "2007-04-05T15:17:35Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] [Happy you asked.](http://www.rinkworks.com/words/funwords.shtml) Although I may have the form of the word a bit off. [/QUOTE] Fun site! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/52 "2007-04-05T15:45:12Z")
We’re never going to get a consensus of opinion on this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Ferd\_Burfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@Ferd\_Burfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferd_Burfel)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726/53 "2007-04-05T19:31:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Michael Flanders > Then there flashed through her mind what her mother had said > With her **antepenultimate** breath: > 'Oh, my child, should you look on the wine when ‘tis red > Be prepared for a fate worse than death!’ :eek: OMG! _That’s_ what that word is! I’ve listened to that song a thousand times and never picked that up. Well, that’s one more thing I can cross off my list. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-abolish-the-word-penultimate/398726.md?page=2)