this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2023
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I thought penultimate meant ...basically ultimate
Am doofus
Edit: to clarify, I thought it meant it in a good way, as in best. It actually means next to last
Penultimate is a mightier word, even mightier some might say, than the swordultimate.
TouchΓ©
As they say, live by the swordultimate, die by the swordultimate.
One of my professors would regularly use the word antepenultimate, "before before last".
when you're reading linguistics literature & forums you'll see variations all the way up to "propreantepenultimate" (fifth last) commonly
meanwhile in Italian you'd just see "quintultimo" but fuck those guys amirite
Ah, that works much better in Italian!
One related word I have mixed feelings about is 'antediluvian'. On one hand, it's got a nice ring to it. On the other hand, there are enough floods in my area that it translates to "more than a short time ago", which feels contrary to it's intended usage.
Some people might require a flood of biblical proportions. We get those less frequently, but in practice, still too often for the word to be used as intended.
On a semi-related note, I accidentally stumbled on a temple the other day that looked Buddhist, but the symbology had far too many tentacles and various statues had... unusual numbers of limbs. Perhaps the core issue is that I apparently live in R'lyeh. Still... affordable housing on land risen from the deeps, not much pollution or traffic. Google maps can be a bit glitchy. Fresh (if highly unusual) seafood.
It's the word's fault, not yours.
Well you were close. Some might say you were right next to it n
Binge watch all of Taskmaster, youβll never use it wrong again
I just learned! Thanks! That's what I thought it meant as well!
I mean I do see it used that way more often than not.