Taking Sides: Another Think Coming v Another Thing Coming

That's simply not proper English by the way, "another think"? Grammatically it should be "thought".

Except I won't you know.

The phrase 'another think coming' has been around for a long time. It means 'you'll have to think again'.

There is no such phrase as 'another thing coming'. Where on earth do you people hang out to pick up these ideas?

N., please post and support me.

But I will, from now on, because it's hilarious.

Hmm.

I've even forgotten which of the Wakefield twins was the nasty one. But you're behaving *just* like her.

"another thing coming" makes sense in a different way.

The Couch, C or D?

They have a new series out, the books I mean, I seen them last night. They're called "SVW: The Senior Years" - why there is an 's' attached to 'year' in that context is beyond me because I didn't get the impression they meant it in an old-folks-home context.

Of course it's "think".

Sweet Valley Twins is where you are meant to start Tim, when you are a growed up you can move onto some Sweet Valley High. Sweet Valley College I remember thinking was quite DARK cos poor Elizabeth falls apart into ruin and destruction and gets fat and isn't a perfect size 6 anymore! And splits up with Todd! Does he start bonking Jessica?! I can't remember.

And the Sweet Valley Special series were mentalist. Did anyone read the one where a crazy gurl wanted to kill Elizabeth/Jessica and take over her life? Rocking.

Do you remember the one when they were shipwrecked? God, they lived such glamorous lives, it really set me up for disappointment when I reached age 16. The thing is, the new series, the "senior year" series, has Elizabeth already broken up with Todd and becoming quite a slut, and Jessica cannot be friends with any of her friends anymore and everyone hates her because of some indefinable thing that occured (note, it's probably not indefinable because if I actually read the new series it'd probably be clear within 2 seconds, approx.). I find it upsetting! It's very risque since no one who is actually 18 is going to read this, only young gurls read those books.

What about the Babysitters Club?

"You've got another thing comin'" was a UK number 42 hit for Judas Priest circa 1981. No, I've never heard it. But if was good enough for dear old Leather Boy Rob ...

Jesus wept. This thread.

This is ILX's own Pred Ship debate.

371 posts, not counting this one? Could we not have seen this thing coming and avoided it?

I thing not!

I doubt the judgement of anyone who would question Judas Priest about such matters.

― Larcole (Nicole)

At last, some sense.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/13/ridley-scott-alien-ripley
In its opening sections, Alien rattles, seemingly aimlessly, around a utilitarian space freighter (the Nostromo) and introduces us to its bickering seven-member crew, John Hurt and Ian Holm among them. If 20th Century Fox was hoping for another Star Wars (and the evidence suggests it was), the studio had another think coming.

what's the problem here? pinefox closed this argument after about 5 posts.

jeebus -- I'm not one to say mean things but I'm offended that anybody thought up "another think coming" in the 19th century, and stewing in my own anger that people use that phrase. Thing, thing, thing...

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~regojpb/page2/files/page2-1025-full.jpg

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~regojpb/page2/files/page2-1019-full.html

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~regojpb/page2/files/page2-1029-full.jpg

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~regojpb/page2/files/page2-1019-full.jpg

that was the light in the tunnel I needed

ALOT

I try not to get into grammar pedant arguments but anybody who prefers "thing" here is a cloth-eared, cloth-brained churl.

INTERESTING LINKS:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/05/04/the_think_thing/?page=2

"This misuse of think as a noun is creeping into the speech of many who seem unaware that it is ungrammatical." Mary Weesen in reference to "another think coming" quote!

http://grammartips.homestead.com/anotherthink.html (really smug article, probably written by someone in this thread)

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/have_another_thing_coming

so in conclusion this is like the star bellied sneetches, who gives a crap.

I'm having a laugh

The misapplication of seriousness is creeping into the discourse of many who seem unaware of the playful use of language.

Misapplication of seriousness is a standard gambit in playful use of language iirc

I think this was on the ngram thread, but just for the sake of closure:

http://ngrams.googlelabs.com/chart?content=got%20another%20think%20coming%2Cgot%20another%20thing%20coming&corpus=0&smoothing=3&year_start=1800&year_end=2008

http://ngrams.googlelabs.com/graph?content=got+another+think+coming%2Cgot+another+thing+coming&year_start=1800&year_end=2011&corpus=0&smoothing=3

PROVEN BY SCIENCE, DOLTS

You're Kiddink?

Hah! Think wins! That relieves a horrible tension I had not experienced before reading this thread; viz. that 'another thing coming' could possibly be considered to make sense in any context other than 'there is one Thing under the bed ALREADY and another Thing is on the way...'

i always thought that people who said "another think coming" just couldn't pronounce words right. all the pro-thingers here are so obviously right, why is this even an argument. "another think coming" MAKES NO SENSE. why would you EVER SAY IT. "another thing coming" is CORRECT.
― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 18 November 2006 15:52 (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

this might be my favourite lex post of all time.

"unchartered territory"

rmmfe wtf is wrong with people?

i'm not a grammar nazi but i may be a meaning nazi

only a year since they changed editor and christ this fucking paper isnt worth a shit at this stage

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/champions-league/manchester-city-give-bayern-munich-something-to-thing-about-1.1623699

Judas Priest muddies the water on this roight

this is an incredibly stressful thread to read through

Hm, earliest citation in the current OED Online for "another think coming" is 1896 but earliest citation for "another thing coming" is 1897. Both American.

c. to have another think coming: to be greatly mistaken. Cf. to have another thing coming at thing n.1 Phrases 16.

1896 Sunday Jrnl. (Indianapolis) 23 Feb. 10/1 ‘Oh, you think you've seen me, do you?’ and once more that voice gurgled in his ear. ‘Well, you've got another think coming.’
1897 Buffalo (N.Y.) Enquirer (Evening ed.) 12 June 6/4 People who witness the [cycle] races..often see men protest one another..and..imagine that these battles and quarrels of the track are carried on after the races are over. The people who think this ‘have another think coming’, for the men travel in one of the most peaceful parties that follows any line of sport.
1898 Syracuse (N.Y.) Standard 21 May 8/1 Conroy lives in Troy and thinks he is a corning fighter. This gentleman has another think coming.
1942 T. Bailey Pink Camellia xxvii. 199 If you think you can get me out of Gaywood, you have another think coming.
2002 Independent 29 Aug. 17/7 If he thinks he will be blissfully free of directives and paperwork, he has another think coming.

P16. to have another thing coming [arising from misapprehension of to have another think coming at think n. 1c] = to have another think coming at think n. 1c.

1897 Elmira (N.Y.) Daily Gaz. & Free Press 24 June 3/2 They imagine that these battles and quarrels of the track are carried on after the races are over. The people who think this ‘have another thing coming’, for the men travel in one of the most peaceful parties that follows any line of sport.
1902 Logansport (Indiana) Daily Reporter 7 Oct. 3/4 No matter what science tells us, it always seems to have ‘another thing coming’. This census bulletin which links long life with the fast one appears to be the other ‘think’.
1906 G. Wilshire Wilshire Editorials 214 Now if we should try and think up some one person who is satisfied with the existing order of things.., we would most likely have thought that we should find him in the editor of the Wall Street Journal. But if we did, then we have another thing [1904 Wilshire's Mag. think] coming.
1919 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 12 Aug. 8/3 If you think the life of a movie star is all sunshine and flowers you've got another thing coming.
1959 Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada) Herald 22 Aug. 20/3 Magistrate Edward Robey told them: ‘Please tell your friends in France that if any more come over here thinking they can put money in slot machines and get money galore, they have got another thing coming.’
1971 N.Y. Times 26 Feb. 37/4 One of those taken into custody identified himself as ‘very prominent in the community’ and declared, ‘After this, if the police think they are getting a raise they've got another thing coming.’
1981 J. Sullivan Only Fools & Horses (1999) I. 1st Ser. Episode 1. 57 Del. If you think I'm staying in a lead-lined nissan hut with you and Grandad and a chemical bloody khazi you've got another thing coming.
1998 A. O'Hanlon Talk of Town (1999) I. iv. 60 If you think you're getting into my knickers, you have another thing coming.

As far as I can recall, I have never used this expression in either form, unless referring to the Judas Priest song or talking about which version might be correct.

And I see that I have even posted that years ago! I spend too much time here.

Had never heard of "Another Think Coming" till now.

https://i.gifer.com/ZDS4.gif

I feel absolutely certain that it is "another think coming," and it causes me great stress seeing people passionately arguing for "thing."

the inevitable verbally slurring together the two words "think coming" sounds almost identical to the two words "thing coming", so in real time no one speaking this phrase needs to worry which is which. the rub comes when you have to write it down. obviously it began as "think coming", but the conventional mishearing makes just enough sense that it has overtaken the more sensible rendering. nbd.

just now happened on the judas priest song in the wild (spotify) and came here to discover this entire thread is actually abt how great my mum was

(btw it's THINK)

Great thread!

But I still say ‘Another thing coming’, coz I’d be inclined to use it aggressively rather than as a warning. I’m sure Alan Sugar says ‘thing’

"Another think coming" is too difficult to say.

I agree, I think only someone like Blackadder could pronounce it clearly - but this is possibly the crux of the problem

I just said it it’s very easy

Not if you actually pronounce the K in think.

^because that’s not how you say it

It is when I say it!

tbf I've never actually said this phrase before

what if you say it all the time but don't know yr saying it

this inadvertency is actually what the judas priest song is about

They're breakin' the laws breakin' the laws of grammar.

A lot of ppl also don’t know that it’s actually “think cummy Bob”

thats right

I don’t want to think about cummy Bob