I don't watch every track meet but was a bit surprised over the last few years that the announcers did use "penultimate"a decent number of times in their announcing.
T&FN uses penultimate in almost every issue.
I've noticed recently track announcers have been saying "its better to be the hunter than the hunted." I wonder where they heard that? ;-)
I would be highly surprised if anyone knows this but the word for third-to-last is antepenultimate. Use that at the next party or date and they will be very impressed. Antepenultimate - remember that word and use it!
Beat you to it!
In any case, I'd suspect most people would learn antepenultimate when they learn penultimate. I could be wrong about that; I've been wrong plenty of times before.
Sorry but this word, penultimate, is really a European English word that is really unheard of in the united states. I would be pretty surprised if 4% of the adult population in the USA have heard the word with their own ears before, much less know its meaning. Honestly, I would say you are more likely to hear supercalifragilisticespialidocious or anti-disestablishmentarianism.
Unless you are some overeducated liberal with degrees is English and linguistics living in the San Francisco area, I guarantee you could go your entire life in USA and never hear the word. I've lived all over the american south, I'm 49 years old, and I honestly cant remember ever hearing it being uttered. Just my .02.
I would be highly surprised if anyone knows this but the word for third-to-last is antepenultimate. Use that at the next party or date and they will be very impressed. Antepenultimate - remember that word and use it!
Beat you to it!
In any case, I'd suspect most people would learn antepenultimate when they learn penultimate. I could be wrong about that; I've been wrong plenty of times before.
Didn't blame Ebonics, though.
You indeed beat me to it. If you have not already bored everyone at the house party you might ask them the word for fourth-to-last - preantepenultimate.. They will love you for it and some might even say they already knew that.
Sorry but this word, penultimate, is really a European English word that is really unheard of in the united states. I would be pretty surprised if 4% of the adult population in the USA have heard the word with their own ears before, much less know its meaning. Honestly, I would say you are more likely to hear supercalifragilisticespialidocious or anti-disestablishmentarianism.
Unless you are some overeducated liberal with degrees is English and linguistics living in the San Francisco area, I guarantee you could go your entire life in USA and never hear the word. I've lived all over the american south, I'm 49 years old, and I honestly cant remember ever hearing it being uttered. Just my .02.
This is a European/cultural/liberal term.
Plain and simple. That's all there is to it.
No disrespect but you are wrong. I have heard the word watching track races and multiple times the announcer used it. I was an energy futures accountant and penultimate was the day that many futures were settled.
Sorry but this word, penultimate, is really a European English word that is really unheard of in the united states. I would be pretty surprised if 4% of the adult population in the USA have heard the word with their own ears before, much less know its meaning. Honestly, I would say you are more likely to hear supercalifragilisticespialidocious or anti-disestablishmentarianism.
Unless you are some overeducated liberal with degrees is English and linguistics living in the San Francisco area, I guarantee you could go your entire life in USA and never hear the word. I've lived all over the american south, I'm 49 years old, and I honestly cant remember ever hearing it being uttered. Just my .02.
This is a European/cultural/liberal term.
Plain and simple. That's all there is to it.
Many people in this thread have opinions, including you, that make little sense. The intelligent thing to say is that some words are more obscure than others and therefore some words are less likely to be known by others, but one may live just about anywhere and be familiar or unfamiliar with some relatively obscure words. Let us not make assumptions which hold no water.
If you have not already bored everyone at the house party you might ask them the word for fourth-to-last - preantepenultimate.. They will love you for it and some might even say they already knew that.
I appreciate the suggestion, but I'm obnoxious enough already, thanks.
However, as a reward for your kindness, I'll share this linguistic tidbit: Hindi has a word for "yesterday" and "tomorrow." It's the same word; the two are distinguished by the tenses of accompanying verbs.
Similarly, Hindi has another single word for day-before-yesterday and day-after-tomorrow, and yet a third word for day-before-day-before-yesterday and day-after-day-after-tomorrow.
Sorry but this word, penultimate, is really a European English word that is really unheard of in the united states. I would be pretty surprised if 4% of the adult population in the USA have heard the word with their own ears before, much less know its meaning. Honestly, I would say you are more likely to hear supercalifragilisticespialidocious or anti-disestablishmentarianism.
Unless you are some overeducated liberal with degrees is English and linguistics living in the San Francisco area, I guarantee you could go your entire life in USA and never hear the word. I've lived all over the american south, I'm 49 years old, and I honestly cant remember ever hearing it being uttered. Just my .02.
This is a European/cultural/liberal term.
Plain and simple. That's all there is to it.
Give me a break. As I pointed out above, even the Charlotte Motor Speedway uses penultimate. If you want to say CMS is run by overeducated liberals living in SF, there's a word for that, and it's not penultimate.
In any case, I'd suspect most people would learn antepenultimate when they learn penultimate. I could be wrong about that; I've been wrong plenty of times before.
Didn't blame Ebonics, though.
You indeed beat me to it. If you have not already bored everyone at the house party you might ask them the word for fourth-to-last - preantepenultimate.. They will love you for it and some might even say they already knew that.
Sesquipedalipenultimate. The 150th lap to go.
This post was edited 57 seconds after it was posted.
I've noticed in this years track meets on tv, the announcers are obsessed with the word penultimate. I'm a 40 year old Male with 2 masters degrees and have been following professional running pretty much my entire life. I have never heard that word prior to this summer.
Anyone else unaware of the word or have to Google it in a dictionary like I did?
Approximately how many other words do you not know the meaning of? Scary.
You indeed beat me to it. If you have not already bored everyone at the house party you might ask them the word for fourth-to-last - preantepenultimate.. They will love you for it and some might even say they already knew that.
Sesquipedalipenultimate. The 150th lap to go.
I would not want to see Mel Tillis attempt that word.
I've noticed in this years track meets on tv, the announcers are obsessed with the word penultimate. I'm a 40 year old Male with 2 masters degrees and have been following professional running pretty much my entire life. I have never heard that word prior to this summer.
Anyone else unaware of the word or have to Google it in a dictionary like I did?
Approximately how many other words do you not know the meaning of? Scary.
This is not scary at all. I can guarantee that everyone on this thread doesn’t know the meaning of at least 25 English words. Of course the words will not be the same for each of us. Language is expansive and the more intelligent you are you become aware of pockets of ignorance you possess.
I've noticed in this years track meets on tv, the announcers are obsessed with the word penultimate. I'm a 40 year old Male with 2 masters degrees and have been following professional running pretty much my entire life. I have never heard that word prior to this summer.
Anyone else unaware of the word or have to Google it in a dictionary like I did?
Yes I agree. The other word I’ve seen thrown around a lot is ebonics lol
Penultimate has been around forever and most runners or people who have been involved in track and field should be well aware with it’s meaning. It’s the first time I’ve heard the word ebonics used however lol