# "Let's name this thing what we already call that thing." English language stoopidity.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-this-thing-what-we-already-call-that-thing-english-language-stoopidity/837351>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 20, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-this-thing-what-we-already-call-that-thing-english-language-stoopidity/837351 "2019-07-20T14:52:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-this-thing-what-we-already-call-that-thing-english-language-stoopidity/837351/81 "2019-07-25T01:46:41Z")

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> [@Darren\_Garrison](#):
>
> Quick–what does bimonthly mean?

A month that swings either way.

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**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-this-thing-what-we-already-call-that-thing-english-language-stoopidity/837351/82 "2019-07-25T01:46:45Z")

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> [@minlokwat](#):
>
> Similarly if a verb is used in a different-from-original context and has an irregular participle, the new usage should revert to a regular formation.
> 
> Example: “The baseball player flied out to third.” not “The baseball player flew out to third.”

Not a good example because “…flied out to third” is based on the noun fly (ball), not the verb fly, so you expect it to have a regular preterite. The computer mouse is based on the noun mouse and therefore ought to preserve the strong plural, so mice. Of course, current computer mice lack tails, so perhaps they should be called voles.

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**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-this-thing-what-we-already-call-that-thing-english-language-stoopidity/837351/83 "2019-07-25T01:47:19Z")

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> [@Darren\_Garrison](#):
>
> Quick–what does bimonthly mean?

A month that goes both ways?

Edited to add: Dammit **DrDeth**!

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