“a couple of weeks” ≠ a fortnight

retired_lisa strom · 11-14-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keane16MUFC:
Here, even better. Here's the definition from the Compact OED, since we Yanks are obviously clueless when it comes to the Queen's English.

couple
noun
1 two individuals of the same sort considered together.
2 (treated as sing. or pl.) two people who are married or otherwise closely associated romantically or sexually.
3 (informal) an indefinite small number.
4 (Mechanics) a pair of equal and parallel forces acting in opposite directions and tending to cause rotation.

I think SI meant 3. You want to read it as 1, because you're frustrated and want to vent, to the extent that you want to call these people liars.

I think that's pretty *****, to use the Queen's English, if I may.

Yet again. Out of the 4 definitions given, only 1 of the definition suits what you are trying to say, while 3 of the definitions supports what I am driving at. You mentioned "I THINK", the thing is, we are not GOD, how the hell do we know what SI is thinking? Instead of making us so frustrated and making keep guessing what they are thinking, they should make it REAL clear in the first place to prevent any confusion and also any conflicts that may arise from what they are driving at.

retired_w0lfpack1 · 11-14-2007, 07:22 AM

— Usage note The phrase a couple of has been in standard use for centuries, especially with measurements of time and distance and in referring to amounts of money: They walked a couple of miles in silence. Repairs will probably cost a couple of hundred dollars. The phrase is used in all but the most formal speech and writing. The shortened phrase a couple, without of (The gas station is a couple miles from here), is an Americanism of recent development that occurs chiefly in informal speech or representations of speech. Without a following noun, the phrase is highly informal: Jack shouldn't drive. I think he's had a couple. (Here the noun drinks is omitted.)

jstp · 11-14-2007, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amaroq:
Dictionary.com's entry is even more enlightening - and shows that #4 is the only possible reading:

I think you meant #14, but yes, exactly.

retired_w0lfpack1 · 11-14-2007, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by reddevil0728:
Yet again. Out of the 4 definitions given, only 1 of the definition suits what you are trying to say, while 3 of the definitions supports what I am driving at.

I think the dictionary.com entry leaves no such ambiguity, especially with the "Usage note" more recently quoted.

retired_lisa strom · 11-14-2007, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keane16MUFC:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by reddevil0728:
We are not GOD. We can't read the minds of SI stuff. So they should make it REAL clear what they are driving at.

Last time I checked, SI wasn't GOD, either. They gave what they thought was a reasonable (and, I would argue, informal) estimate of how long it would take.

And everyone seems to want to forget the caveat of "once we're happy with it and have gone through a full test cycle internally." </BLOCKQUOTE>Then why is there a need for them to even give us a "DATE" and for your information not "ESTIMATED DATE". I quote -"We will be releasing a final version of the patch in a couple of weeks"- There isn't the word "ESTIMATED" nor "IN ABOUT" presence in any parts of the sentence. It seems like they are very confident

retired_w0lfpack1 · 11-14-2007, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keane16MUFC:
I think you meant #14, but yes, exactly.

I was referring to m-w.com's #4; that was pretty unclear.

scobredar · 11-14-2007, 07:25 AM

You people are freaking nuts.

Now you're deliberating the definition of the phrase "a couple of weeks"

Can't you see what this waiting process is doing to you all? It's making you all crazy.

Whichever the term meant, it was erroneous. You all wanted and answer to the question "when will the patch be out" you received and answer, the time has overran and now you're baying for blood.

SI should've been as vague as possible, that way there would've been no set expectations and no let-downs.

scobredar · 11-14-2007, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SlayerX:
You people are freaking nuts.

Now you're deliberating the definition of the phrase "a couple of weeks"

Can't you see what this waiting process is doing to you all? It's making you all crazy.

Whichever the term meant, it was erroneous. You all wanted an answer to the question "when will the patch be out?" you received the answer, the time has now overran the estimated date and now you're baying for blood.

SI should've been as vague as possible, that way there would've been no set expectations and no let-downs.

retired_cRankLin · 11-14-2007, 07:27 AM

A debate on the word "couple" on a football game forum....now I've seen everything

retired_lisa strom · 11-14-2007, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SlayerX:
You people are freaking nuts.

Now you're deliberating the definition of the phrase "a couple of weeks"

Can't you see what this waiting process is doing to you all? It's making you all crazy.

Whichever the term meant, it was erroneous. You all wanted and answer to the question "when will the patch be out" you received and answer, the time has overran and now you're baying for blood.

SI should've been as vague as possible, that way there would've been no set expectations and no let-downs.

INDEED! I would prefer that SI not even bother replying on when will the patch be out or whatever. It will be more pleasing if they actually release the patch UNEXPECTEDLY early or late which will either make us be VERY please or be VERY frustrated. If no date was given, even if we are frustrated, we can't fault SI. They made a big mistake in stating a date which they do not have the ability to release the patch on time. OR rather they overestimated themselves or maybe underestimated the time it will take to create the patch

“a couple of weeks” ≠ a fortnight

Discuss Football Manager 2008 for PC, MAC and PSP versions of FM 2008. Click here to view our FM resources.

“a couple of weeks” ≠ a fortnight