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0 pointsTulliusCicero4y ago0 comments

That's a funny example to use, since you can move up a date, but nobody talks about moving down a date. Same problem in the opposite direction.

"We're moving up the launch" is common, but never heard anyone say "we're moving down the launch", even though delays are common.

The issue with "prepone" is that "pone" isn't really used as a world. A quick googling shows that it is a word, but in regular speech it's not used as a standalone.

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no_one_ever4y ago

Rather than 'up and down', I think the visual is supposed to be 'up and back' (like forward and backward).

English is fun

quietbritishjim4y ago

More usually (in the UK) it's forward and back, which make more sense as direct opposites. It's a little confusing though because pushing something back means move it later and bring it forward means move it earlier, whereas when talking directly about time the meanings are usually reversed (e.g. "back in time" means earlier).

uryga4y ago

in this case i'd interpret "forward/backward" as "closer towards you / further away from you", with the metaphor being that you're standing on a timeline looking "in the future direction" and moving stuff closer/further.

when using "back" to talk about the past, it's "backwards" as in "behind you". "further back" = "further behind you" = "more in the past"

kbutler4y ago

Does "back in time" mean earlier when speaking of future events? Or only past events?

A future meeting "moved back" is definitely postponed. (US English)

slver4y ago

And yet when you "set something back" you move it later in time.

ido4y ago

    you can move up a date, but nobody talks about 
    moving down a date.

It reminds me of this scene from Stargate SG1: https://youtu.be/LxK0ZIk_sSE

_asummers4y ago

"Yesterday morning" and "tomorrow morning" is my favorite example. Several previous Indian coworkers of mine would say "today morning", which always made me smile a bit. It's not an unreasonable phrase to exist, given the others do as well.

bellyfullofbac4y ago

In German the word for morning and tomorrow is the same, "Morgen".

But "tomorrow morning" becomes "Morgen früh" which is "tomorrow early" (or "early tomorrow" in English). "Morgen vormittags" ("tomorrow before noon") is also a variation.

ncpa-cpl4y ago

That would be "Mañana en la mañana" in Spanish!

Grustaf4y ago

Pone not being an English word on its own is not really relevant.

A lot of, if not most, Greek/Latin neologisms and combined words use a root that is never used as is.

Both “neologism” and “combine” above are examples of this…

yitchelle4y ago

I have not heard about move up a date before but I understand it to move the date to another future date. I guess the point it doesn't matter if it is a word or not as long as it is easily understandable, typically within a region, a culture or an industry.

kshacker4y ago

Pone may not be a word but pre and post should ideally be quite obvious and self sufficient qualifiers if standardized.

And then I remembered the word preposterous, enough said.

kbutler4y ago

Moving up a date is like moving up toward the front in a line (or queue) vs moving back.

TulliusCiceroOP4y ago

Right, but then why is isn't it "moving front" instead of moving up? Languages are weird.

minxomat4y ago

> moving down a date

I'd consider "(later) down the road" an example of that.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

no_one_ever4y ago

Rather than 'up and down', I think the visual is supposed to be 'up and back' (like forward and backward).

English is fun

quietbritishjim4y ago

uryga4y ago

when using "back" to talk about the past, it's "backwards" as in "behind you". "further back" = "further behind you" = "more in the past"

kbutler4y ago

Does "back in time" mean earlier when speaking of future events? Or only past events?

A future meeting "moved back" is definitely postponed. (US English)

slver4y ago

And yet when you "set something back" you move it later in time.

ido4y ago

    you can move up a date, but nobody talks about 
    moving down a date.

It reminds me of this scene from Stargate SG1: https://youtu.be/LxK0ZIk_sSE

_asummers4y ago

bellyfullofbac4y ago

In German the word for morning and tomorrow is the same, "Morgen".

But "tomorrow morning" becomes "Morgen früh" which is "tomorrow early" (or "early tomorrow" in English). "Morgen vormittags" ("tomorrow before noon") is also a variation.

ncpa-cpl4y ago

That would be "Mañana en la mañana" in Spanish!

Grustaf4y ago

Pone not being an English word on its own is not really relevant.

A lot of, if not most, Greek/Latin neologisms and combined words use a root that is never used as is.

Both “neologism” and “combine” above are examples of this…

yitchelle4y ago

kshacker4y ago

Pone may not be a word but pre and post should ideally be quite obvious and self sufficient qualifiers if standardized.

And then I remembered the word preposterous, enough said.

kbutler4y ago

Moving up a date is like moving up toward the front in a line (or queue) vs moving back.

TulliusCiceroOP4y ago

Right, but then why is isn't it "moving front" instead of moving up? Languages are weird.

minxomat4y ago

> moving down a date

I'd consider "(later) down the road" an example of that.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse