85 thoughts on “Sarah Palin”

    1. They’re wrong. “Thing” makes no sense in the context of what they’re saying. People say it because they think that’s what they hear when someone says “…another think coming,” because it’s hard to distinguish between the hard k sound at the end of “think” and beginning of “coming.”

          2. “ā€œAnother ā€˜thingā€™ comingā€ MAKES NO EFFING SENSE WHATSOEVER.”

            ‘fraid it does:

            You think on thing is going to come….but I’m telling you you have ANOTHER thing (i.e. one different from what you are expecting) coming.

            Until this thread I never heard of “Another think coming.”

          3. And before Harry Reid stupidly said it a few years ago, I had never heard of “another thing coming.” If it’s another “thing” coming, what was the FIRST thing”?

          4. The first thing is the one you’re expecting. The other thing is the one you get — i.e., the surprise.

            Try this experiment. Tell someone one, “I received a book from Amazon yesterday, but I have another thing coming tomorrow.” See if they understand you. I bet they do.

            I get the feeling you’re being deliberately obtuse.

          5. The first thing is the one youā€™re expecting. The other thing is the one you get ā€” i.e., the surprise.

            I’m probably going to regret asking, but in your misunderstanding of the phrase, what’s the surprise that’s expected to be coming?

          6. “If thatā€™s what you think, youā€™ve got another thing coming.”

            Thing refers to a differing outcome than what was expected.

            One thought one would get A, and got another thing, B, instead.

            Perfectly comprehensible even if a corruption.

      2. How does that make any sense whatsoever? “Think” isn’t even a noun.

        It doesn’t make any sense syntactically, let alone semantically.

        1. Since when has a catchy phrase needed to be grammatically correct? And if you use the full phrase: “If thatā€™s what you think, you’ve got another think coming.” isn’t ‘think’ used as a verb in both instances?

          1. No. In the second instance, the “coming” is the verb. “Think” is the object of the verb — i.e., a noun. If you diagram the sentence (do they still teach diagramming?), you will see that.

            You could construct related sentences, such as:

            “There’s another think coming on Wednesday.”

            “The first think didn’t work, but I have another think coming from Amazon.”

            “The think came special delivery.”

            None of which make any sense because, to most people, a “think” is not a noun.

            The expression “another thing coming” is commonly used to mean “a surprise coming.” A surprise is a “thing,” not a *thing* other than what you are expecting — not a “think.”

            I suppose using “think” as a noun might be a California colloquialism, but I have never heard or seen anyone except Rand using it, even in California.

            The noun form of “think” is “thought.” But even making that correct, saying “you have another thought coming” makes no sense in this context. How could the speaker possibly predict what additional thoughts the listener might have in the future? A doctor might tell you that you have a heart attack coming (though would be, ahem, “another thing”) but no one can tell you when you have a thought coming.

          3. “Since when has a catchy phrase needed to be grammatically correct?”

            Which shows how pointless the uproar is heh.

        2. “think” can be used as a noun:

          “Just as suddenly as the sky filled with aircraft, it emptied. He [Bob Doe] was alone, so he flew back to Middle Wallop and landed. He was alive, and he was not a coward. Three of the squadron’s pilots were missing, and one had been hit and baled [UK spelling for bailed?] out. No one knew what had happened to the missing men.

          That night, Bob went to bed early and had a think……”

          Excerpt from The Most Dangerous Enemy by Stephen Bungay

          You want to read a serious treatment of the Battle of Britain, this is the book for you.

          1. Okay, so Rand and Bungay might say “think.” But most people (probably 99% of the English-speaking world) would say “Bob had a thought.”

            When I went to school, teachers would have taken off grammar points if I wrote, “here are my thinks about the Battle of Britain.” Perhaps that’s changed or perhaps, as I said, it’s a regionalism — but I have little reason to believe so. I never heard anyone saying that when I travelled in California or Great Britain.

          2. Colloquialisms are not necessarily grammatical. And how do you know what you heard? It’s very difficult to distinguish between the two when spoken.

          3. –When I went to school, teachers would have taken off grammar points if I wrote, ā€œhere are my thinks about the Battle of Britain.ā€–
            Yeah and it seems to me that this is the case today.
            But say, “there are many thinks about Battle of Britain”, could perhaps seem to be acceptable as informal speak.
            The difference between “there are many thoughts about Battle of Britain” and “there are many thinks about Battle of Britain” is the latter is a bit derogatory of such thinking or the thoughts of Battle of Britain.
            Or almost same as Groupthink.

          4. And how do you know what you heard?

            Because I heard it? That’s kind of what hearing means.

            Itā€™s very difficult to distinguish between the two when spoken.

            Not really. And even if that were true — I’ve read many books by British and Californian authors. All of whom referred to thoughts as “thoughts,” not “thinks.”

            Gregg presented one example of an author using “think” as a noun — which could possibly be a typo, for all we know.

            Actually, I don’t even recall you using “think” as a noun, except when you’re beating this particular hobbyhorse.

          5. Gregg presented one example of an author using ā€œthinkā€ as a noun ā€” which could possibly be a typo, for all we know.

            Actually, I donā€™t even recall you using ā€œthinkā€ as a noun, except when youā€™re beating this particular hobbyhorse.

            Google is your friend, versions of “if that’s what he thinks, he’s got another think coming” are all over the internet, it’s a common colloquialism, Palin’s been quoted using it in the past, with a complete absence of your alternative interpretation of her words being quoted. See my comments below.

          6. The point’s been made that colloquialisms often aren’t grammatically correct, another salient point is that Sarah Palin often isn’t grammatically correct.

          8. “Gregg presented one example of an author using ā€œthinkā€ as a noun ā€” which could possibly be a typo, for all we know.”

            And for all we know it’s not a typo. I’ll ask Bungay.

            Also, a dictionary says otherwise.:

            noun
            21.
            Informal. the act or a period of thinking:
            I want to sit down and give it a good think.

            I’ve heard/read “have a good think” many times.

            I’ve never heard “another think coming” until this thread.

  4. Growing up and living in Northern California, I’ve never heard this saying as “…another think coming.” “Thing” makes complete sense in that the “thing” you were expecting to happen is not indeed going to be happening. Perhaps “another think coming” was the original colloquial phrase, but it appears to haven been superseded by the more common usage of “another thing coming”. Criticism over this is ridiculous.

    1. Another think coming
      Another think coming is the original form of the colloquial phrase aimed at someone who has a mistaken view. It comes from the old comical expression, If thatā€™s what you think, youā€™ve got another think coming.

      Because think in the second part of the expression is (intentionally) ungrammatical, some people hear another thing coming and repeat it as such. Plus, another thing coming usually makes literal sense, so itā€™s now more common than another think coming.

      The exact origins of another think coming are mysterious, but it appears to be an Americanism, and it does predate another thing coming in the sense expressing disagreement. It goes back at least a century. Here are a few old examples:

      Having elected him republicans think they have some voice in the distribution of the spoils and there is where they have another think coming to them. [The Daily Argus (1897)]

      Those who thought taxes high in the past will have another think coming in the future. [Clinton Mirror (1907)]

      If this Good Will Campaign is not a close race then you have another think coming. [Steuben Farmersā€™ Advocate (1925)]

      The original phrase still appears occasionallyā€”for example:

      [A]nd if you think Iā€™m spending too much time on this, you have another think coming. [Washington Post]

      If you think Southern women are such dainty little things, so fragile and delicate, youā€™ve got another think coming. [Daily News Journal (article now offline)]

      But another thing coming is now more common than the original. These examples were easier to find than the above ones:

      Conservatives have another thing coming if they think they can improve their fortunes by changing the subject to the non-Medicare parts of their budget plan. [Center for American Progress]

      If you think you can move to an isolated cabin on a high mountain for 30 years, validate yourself and come back ā€œwhole,ā€ Iā€™d say you had another thing coming. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

      http://grammarist.com/usage/another-think-coming/

        1. Regarding what she would say to Maher, Palin says, ā€œI donā€™t know. Iā€™m not sure what I would say to Bill. Iā€™d kind of shake my head at him. I think heā€™s a joke. My mom just heard me say something about Bill Maher [and said], ā€˜Iā€™d punch him in the throat!ā€™ Someone does need to put him in his place, though.ā€

          ā€œIf my dad or any of my guy friends got a hold of him, heā€™d have another think coming,ā€ she adds in jest. ā€œHe is a joke.ā€
          http://zap2it.com/2012/05/bristol-palin-on-bill-maher-i-think-hes-a-joke/

          Palin said she was debating whether to enter the presidential race, but with this development she sees it is now her duty to run.

          ā€œIf those homosexuals think Iā€™m going to stand by and watch them bring this country down, they got another think coming,ā€ she said. ā€œIā€™m announcing my candidacy for president of the United States. And, by god, Iā€™m not diddle diddling around, either.ā€

          http://www.democraticunderground.com/11981491

        2. Humph, Searching for “thing” rather than “think” I get similar results, so what’s heard comes down to who’s listening.

          I think she’s more likely to have said “think” because she pulled her lips back as you do when pronouncing a “k”.

          The only conclusive way to prove which she prefers is probably to read the expression as she’s written it. I think it’s fair to say that each person has their own consistent way of interpreting, and therefore using, the phrase.

          1. Aand I’m gonna backtrack, I get lots of results from:
            ā€œIf my dad or any of my guy friends got a hold of him, heā€™d have another think coming,ā€ she adds in jest. ā€œHe is a joke.ā€

            But not a single result from:
            ā€œIf my dad or any of my guy friends got a hold of him, heā€™d have another thing coming,ā€ she adds in jest. ā€œHe is a joke.ā€

            No results for:
            ā€œIf those homosexuals think I’m going to stand by and watch them bring this country down, they got another thing coming,ā€
            either.

      2. the second part of the expression is (intentionally) ungrammatical,

        Even assuming that, your interpretation makes no sense. Sarah Palin was not claiming to have psychic powers. How could she possibly predict what additional thoughts — er, “thinks” — her audience might have in the future?

        1. How could you possible know Palin wasn’t claiming psychic powers, did she tell you? Otherwise by claiming you know the status of her claim of psychic powers aren’t you yourself claiming psychic powers?

          I think she would have been claiming she would make it her mission to stop what they were expecting to happen.

          1. How could you possible know Palin wasnā€™t claiming psychic powers, did she tell you?

            Wow, can you possibly go any farther out on a limb here?

            I think you and Rand are *way* too emotionally invested in this.

          3. I think you and Rand are *way* too emotionally invested in this.

            Are you reading my comments as angry or annoyed? Those psychic powers of yours are letting you down again, this is all just amusing.

          4. Edward, I would never have bet this many comments on this subject. Reminds me of the ant that went up the elephants leg twice. That ant was emotionally invested.

            Do ya need the punchline? [It got pissed off the first time.]

            Communication is result oriented, not a science. If understood, it isn’t wrong. Intelligence often requires breaking somebodies rules. Being pedantic can make you look like Trump {the horror!}

          5. ” We are simply pointing out that people who are wrong are wrong.”

            I think it would be funny if Rand gets his one of his fondest wishes and receives an immortality treatment…

            … but then doesn’t enjoy it because he finds himself perpetually irritated by how English keeps on changing.

          7. English isn’t changing from something that makes sense to something that doesn’t just because people don’t enunciate clearly or hear clearly, any more than “lose” and “loose” become spelled correctly just because people don’t know how to spell.

          8. “This isnā€™t about English changing. Itā€™s about people mishearing a phrase and then thinking that what they misheard is the actual phrase.”

            Rand, I think you just described one of the many processes which cause languages to change.

          9. A nice quote: “Eggcorns, as I understand them, are not mistakes; rather, they are a minor but charming offshoot of the glorious process of language change. “

  8. I actually mostly agree with Rand and Andrew here, but:

    a) the dumbing-down of the West continues, resulting
    in more mangled speech,
    and
    b) certain instances as per the song are referring to
    something different, the “thing” being that which
    will cause the “think” to change.

    Must be feeling a bit pedantic tonight. šŸ™‚

    1. On b), yes, which is why I cannot make myself begin to care that it’s originally a corruption – it’s perfectly comprehensible and valid in its new form, and arguably more correct by normal English rules.

      On a) no, not dumbing down. Normal action of language.

  9. Hard for me to have an objective opinion on this one. Her endorsement of Trump validated the “she’s not very bright” meme that became attached to her.

    1. Your reasons for disliking Trump are different than the reasons that others do like him. Intelligence isn’t part of the equation; you simply give more weight to different priorities.

      If I was an American I’d vote for the guy, warts and all – and I’m so far to the right I make Ayn Rand look like a commie. Too bad Bill Whittle won’t run.

      1. Thinking Trump is an asshat != being a Jeb supporter. I thought Bush had no business even being in the campaign (enough with all the dynasties) and was more than happy to see him leave. Yes the GOPe sucks, but Trump is not the answer.

        1. Trump is without doubt, an answer to GOP.
          But I know of nothing which is the answer to GOP.
          I do accept that for many, Cruz is the answer to GOP-
          this seems quite obvious to me.
          But for the GOP, Cruz is one of their answers in regard to the question, how to stop Trump.

          What seems more important is that Trump is a answer to America.
          And I continue to remain open to any other answers.

  10. In my experience the only people who say “another think coming” are the type I’d expect to have a Coexist bumper sticker on their Priuses.

  11. I love this crowd. šŸ™‚
    Of course, the grammatically correct expression is:

    “If you think ‘X’, you have another thought coming!”

  12. I never heard the phrase “. . . another think coming” or saw it in print until the 2008 election, when suddenly everyone was using it to correct Sarah Palin’s grammar.

  13. “Another think coming” is obviously correct, but it seems to have become interchangeable with “thing” nowadays.

    Another example which is one of my pet peeves: The phrase “a boatload of X” means “a large quantity of X”, and it seems to have been replaced by “a buttload of X”.

  14. I’ve seen it used both ways; “another think” when referring to someone who thought one thing and is about to get slapped by reality, and “another thing” in the context of someone expecting someTHING, who is about to get slapped by reality by another thing (what’s really coming).

    If you want a phrase to get worked up about, how about those who say “I could care less.” when they actually mean “I couldn’t care less.”?

  15. This isn’t debate over how you or Fred uses the phrase, it’s over how Palin was using it, the evidence I’ve found is that she has a preference for using “think” in that phrase.

    1. I think it’s very likely a bad transcription by someone who thinks she said “thing” because that’s what they say (even though it makes no sense). It’s hard to tell the difference unless one enunciates it very clearly, with a sharp distinction between the end of one word and the beginning of the next. You almost have to say “…another thinkacoming.” Otherwise the “k” and “c” blend together and people imagine that it was an “ng” and a “c.”

  16. The reason that ” phrase ā€œa boatload of Xā€ means ā€œa large quantity of Xā€, : is that large quantities used to move by barge or ship. Now with intermodal steel containers, the same — truckload-sized — unitized quantity moves by ship, barge, rail car, double-stacked rail car, truck, Huey helicopter sling,

    http://archive.defense.gov/Photos/NewsPhoto.aspx?NewsPhotoID=16466 and other modes.

    ” and it seems to have been replaced by ā€œa buttload of Xā€. ”

    Yeah well, considering that having so little a quantity as a single hair up one’s “butt” causes discomfort, a butt-load of “X” may be taken as “hurtful”. As if I came across a chalk-marked slogan promoting a presidential candidate I was not inclined to favor. A butt-load of offense, given and taken.

    1. Hahaha oh boy…actually I think “hone in” was meant. Honing – the final stages of the act of sharpening to a fine edge.

      But “home” works just as well.

  20. Thing, think? I know, let’s discuss something less controversial, say, the gender/bathroom controversy.

  21. There’s a cute Indianism that’s catching on for moving a meeting schedule up. Instead of postponing the meeting, they prepone it.

  23. All of this pales in comparison to my all-time favorite foot-in mouth moment, one that took a very special kind of stupid;
    “Don’t call my bluff!”

    1. That was a good one because it was a window to the soul. Obama is still a diplomatic genius of course.

    1. “Anybody who thinks ā€œanother thing comingā€ is correct has got another think coming.”

      I think you have another thing coming. šŸ˜‰

  25. Yeah, along with a person in my family who was purchasing a house for the first time and offered less than the asking price, which is a common practice for large-dollar purchases in our culture. When the seller countered “is that your final offer” this buyer snapped, “I’ll tell you when it is my final offer!”

    Maybe first-time-buyer “nerves” in going off script, but what you are supposed to say is either, “Yes, that offer is final — take it or leave it” or if you want to haggle, “Depends — what do you have in mind?”, or even, “OK, go ahead, show me your counter-offer.”

    “Don’t call my bluff!” is “up there” on the kind of thing an inexperienced negotiator would say . . . or someone signaling that their negotiating position is indeed a “bluff” but that they hold so much power that there are consequences in not going along with everything they want. Yes I am bluffing, but do you really want to call my bluff, if you know what I mean . . .

    But then, if that were really the case, the hardline negotiating position would not be a bluff, now, wouldn’t it?

  26. Pingback: Another Thing | Heh. Indeed.

  27. I haven’t seen/heard the Palin phrase in question so I cannot comment on it with any authority.

    However I will say that some groups of people I know – many form New York City – pronounce words that end with a “g” as if they ended with a “k”.

    instead of “singing” they will say “singink” for example.

    Not saying this was what Palin was doing..I haven’t a clue.

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