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Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 18th, 2010, 1:29 pm
by Ishta
I learned that when I lived in Scotland several years ago. I had said "thing" all my life up until then, and a friend finally corrected me by saying, "Don't you mean 'think'?" I was happy to learn; I disagree with Polymath that to correct a person's grammar when requested to is an unkindness. If we want to learn, the only way is to see our mistakes with clear eyes.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 18th, 2010, 3:37 pm
by Pete
Either that editor is kidding or you need a new editor.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 18th, 2010, 8:45 pm
by gonzo2802
See, I would have been one of those people shaking my head saying "Uh-oh, Nathan made a boo-boo". I'd have gone with another phrase too.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 19th, 2010, 5:10 am
by jkmcdonnell
So says Lord Google:
102,000,000 hits for 'thing'
108,000,000 hits for 'think'
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 20th, 2010, 1:06 am
by lac582
I can't for the life of me deduce how "you have another think coming" makes any sense. Think is not a noun.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 20th, 2010, 1:40 am
by Mira
Far be it for me to tell you how to write, Nathan, but here's how you should write this.

Don't scrap the phrase! Don't give in to the pressure. It just encourages them.

There are only two appropriate ways to handle this situation. My favorite is the second.

The first way is to build it into your dialogue, where the characters start arguing about the right way to say it, and it becomes a wonderful lesson for all middle grade children about the strangely intricate and beautiful language we call English.

The better way is just to use the phrase every other sentence throughout the entire book. You'll wear them out and they'll leave you alone. This is my preferred choice.

Hope these suggestions are helpful! I can't wait to read Jacob and see if you took my advice. :)

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 20th, 2010, 12:01 pm
by Em!
lac582 wrote:I can't for the life of me deduce how "you have another think coming" makes any sense. Think is not a noun.
It can be a noun, it just isn't used as one very often.

Ever hear someone say, "I sat down and had a good think"?

In the full phrase, "If you think that, you've got another think coming" the word "think" is a different part of speech each time it's used. Maybe that's part of what makes it confusing.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 20th, 2010, 11:04 pm
by J. T. SHEA
Whatever is commonly used is often used loosely. You're probably both right, though you're 60% right and your editor 40%, according to the informal Merriam-Webster poll Holly quoted. So you win!

Mira is right too. You'll get complaining e-mails no matter what you do. Today's eggcorn is tomorrow's correct usage.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 21st, 2010, 12:20 am
by Mira
Ahhh. Mira is right. Is there any more beautiful phrase in the history of the universe?

I hope you're paying attention, Nathan. Someone thinks I'm right!

J.T., you're my favorite person today. Your comment, btw, is also right. I thought, anyway.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 21st, 2010, 2:47 am
by Jessica Peter
This blows my mind. I've thought all my life it was "thing", because it seems to make sense. Huh.

Eggcorns!

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 22nd, 2010, 11:26 am
by kenpochick
Nathan Bransford wrote:
Did everyone else already know this? I had no idea!!
I did actually and you know where I know it from. Alice in Wonderland. LOL!

The Mad Hatter: Would you like to take it now?
Alice: Take what?
MH: Your other think! You have it coming you know!

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 22nd, 2010, 12:19 pm
by lac582
It still sounds illogical to me, even if think is a noun :) But if it came from Lewis Carroll then it makes a bit more sense!

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 23rd, 2010, 2:45 am
by Jaime
See, Nathan, if you'd actually said "you've got another think coming" to me personally, I would have laughed internally and renamed you Cletus.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 24th, 2010, 11:50 am
by Tirolo
You can't distinctly hear the difference between "think coming" and "thing coming" unless a person deliberately slows down and separates the two words by enunciating them with a pause between. The difference is too slight in normal conversational pronunciation. That's why people make the mistake of hearing "thing." (Or, if the person really IS saying "thing," the other can hear it as "think." The 'c' in 'coming' supplies the sound they expect to hear.)

In response to the original question, I've always seen it written as "think." But the expression is mostly used orally, with a tinge of deliberate humor from using "think" as a noun. It doesn't really make sense using "thing."

The Merriam Webster poll is surprising.

Re: You have another think coming

Posted: May 24th, 2010, 9:03 pm
by lexcade
if it's okay for Judas Priest, it's okay for the rest of us ;)