Bugger the pence. Does the fucking text messaging work or not?
- PW
Well, a half pence seems to be a correct usage. And two pence is a correct usage. So by the mean-value theorem, I declare 1 pence to also be a correct usage.
“Half a pence” most certainly is not correct, any more than “half a miles” is. “0.5 pence” is correct, though, by the same logic as “0.5 miles” is correct.
Anyway, looks like I have lost this one to the illiterati, so I’m off to the newsagent’s to buy some pence chews. Hell, I might by some for my sister, Jence, too. On the way back, I might call in at the record shop and check out some Lence Kravitz CDs, or maybe buy a Bence Hill video.
I could swear that the pre-decimal penny was referred to as a “onepence piece”. In the deliciously illogical:
Farthing
Ha’penny
Onepence piece
Tuppeny bit
Thruppeny bit
Sixpence
Shilling
Florin
Half-crown
Crown
Guinea
(have I missed any out?)
Unique? The only languages that don’t evolve are the dead ones.
Language pedants are also pretty common. In some countries they even get paid.
‘Tuppence’ actually.
: d&r :
Agree with the OP; ‘pence’ is plural.
"One pee’ is quite commonly used, so I suppose we’ll have to accept it, but I’ve never heard anyone say ‘one pence’ except as a result of brute stupidity or confusion.
“One pence” is in common usage. I’ve heard people describing £0.01 as “one pence” more often than I’ve heard people describing it as “one penny”.
Orange text messaging: a tanner a go!
I say one pence. one penny sounds like you’re a little girl being all twee. most people I know say ‘copper’ or ‘shrapnel’.
here endeth the lesson
Cobblers; a tanner was a sixpence piece - that would be “2 1/2p a go.” Or tuppence-ha’penny.
This thread is getting on my thrupenny bits!
yes jjimm , i’m aware of the value of a tanner. I was throwing in my tuppence on this subject.
“moi mavver gave me a tanner, to go boiy a spanna, but oi spent it orn chewing gum insteeeaaaaddd”
I suspect it is a regional thing then; down here, anyone saying ‘one pence’ is likely to spend a day being pelted in the stocks on the village green.
Yes but “One Bollocks text messaging from Orange” isn’t going to drum up Nearly as much business.
Surely you mean “tuppen’oth”. 
you heard me.
Pardon?
You talking to me or chewing a brick?
jjimm! Leave it! He ain’t worth it.
Oh yeah? Him and whose army?
ooooo! fight! fight! fight!
i’ll see you on the all weather pitch at 3.30. don’t pussy out on me now softlad.
of course i’m worth it mangetout . like the adverts.
Did you spill my pint?
Are you lookin’ at my bird? Why not? Are you sayin’ she’s ugly?
Outside!