This is one of those niggly ones that crop up just infrequently enough to be forgotten.
I have gone to the oracle (The Times Style Guide), as follows:
bi
Its correct use is in Latin compounds, where it has the force of two, not half, such as bicentenary/bicentennial (a two-hundredth anniversary), or biennial (recurring every two years). Biannual means twice a year; to avoid confusion, write out twice a year.
Biweekly, meanwhile, is even stickier. According to Oxford, it can mean twice weekly or every two weeks. Best to steer clear and go for fortnightly and twice weekly, methinks.
About Me
- substuff
- Why did I turn out such a pedant? Well you'd have to ask my TV-banning, lentil-baking, library-enforcing, doctor-eschewing, beanbag-sitting, grammar-correcting, homeopathic, 2nd dan black belt, all-round no-nonsense mother. 'Cos me, I got no idea.
No comments:
Post a Comment