Similar case in point: “bimonthly” means “twice a month.” That makes sense.
But the definition for “bi-weekly” does not make sense.
What do you think?
Similar case in point: “bimonthly” means “twice a month.” That makes sense.
But the definition for “bi-weekly” does not make sense.
What do you think?
What? No. Semi weekly only ever means twice per week. If you get paid on the 1st and 15th, you get paid semi monthly.
Yeah. That makes no sense. While it seems the bi- prefix is ambiguous, semi- means “half”. I don’t see how semiweekly can possibility mean every other week.
I hate the fact that you can’t correct people on language once a critical mass of misunderstanding happens and the dictionary codifies it. I get that is how dictionaries work, but it doesn’t mean I have to accept people saying biweekly to mean semiweekly. We have two words for two concepts, and we’re losing that.
Why not say fortnightly to remove any ambiguity?
I’m just saying that whenever someone says “biweekly”, it is now incumbent on me to ask, “do you mean fortnightly or semiweekly?”. It slows down communication for no real benefit.
I do sometimes say “fortnightly”, but as I already have a Backpfeifengesicht, I try to avoid it.