From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!seismo!rocheste!stuart Newsgroups: net.nlang Title: Bi- vs. Semi- Usage Article-I.D.: rocheste.400 Posted: Tue Jan 11 18:38:40 1983 Received: Thu Jan 13 07:17:05 1983 I'm afraid that I don't agree that "common usage" should be allowed to give bimonthly (-weekly, etc) two meanings. The prefix "bi" brings the meaning *"two"*. The prefix "semi" brings the meaning *"half"*. Similarly, "hemi" and "demi" denote half or partial properties. This comparision makes clear the difference between "every two .." and "twice a ..". They are reciprocal! To confuse a publication which is issued every two months with one which is issued every half month is a mistake. This is not a matter of local usage, dialectism, jargon, slang or current idiom. The only way bimonthly can legitimately come to mean "twice a month" is if we come to accept "bi" as a prefix denoting "twice a ..." rather than "every two ...". There are some things which should be taught more widely than they are taught. That the component pieces of words often indicate some qualities denoted by the whole is an unappreciated fact. Stu Friedberg