2021-01-08
ศัพท์ น่าสับสน ชุด S – Semi- & bi-
แนะนำการใช้ ตามที่ส่วนใหญ่ใช้ แต่ละท้องถิ่น
ความหมาย อาจผันแปร ตาม ตำแหน่ง/หน้าที่ ในประโยค
Dictionary.com
ออกเสียง Semi- = ‘SEM-ee’ or ‘SEM-ahy’
ออกเสียง bi- = ‘BAHY’
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition
Usage Note:
The prefix bi-, when modifyingan adverb of time,
means that the time interval should be doubled.
Thus, a bimonthly meeting takes place once every two months,
and a biweekly meeting once everytwo weeks.
The prefix semi-, in the same context,
means that the interval of time should be halved.
Thus, a semimonthly meeting is heldtwice a month
(that is, every half month),
and a semiweekly meeting twicea week.
Words with the prefix bi- and semi- are often confused,
so expressions such as every two months or twice a month
are often preferable in order to avoid misinterpretation.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary,
usage:
Most words referring to periods of time
and prefixed by bi- are potentially ambiguous.
Since bi- can be taken to mean
either “twice each” or “every two,”
a word like biweekly can be understood
as “twice each week” or “every two weeks.”
Confusion is often avoided by using the prefix semi-
meaning “twice each” (semiweekly; semimonthly; semiannual)
or by using the appropriate phrases:
twice a week; twice each month;
every two months; every two years.
Dictionary.com
WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED WITH BI-
All words except biennial
referring to periods of time
and prefixed by bi are potentially ambiguous.
Since bi- can be taken to meaneither “twice each” or “every two,”
a word like biweekly can be understood
as “twice each week” or “every twoweeks.”
To avoid confusion, it is better to use the prefix semi-
to mean “twice each” (semiannual; semimonthly; semiweekly)
or the phrase twice a or twice each
(twice a month; twice a week; twice each year ),
and for the other sense to use the phrase every two
(every two months; every two weeks; every two years ).
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary
semi-
a combining form meaning “half” (semiannual), “partially,” “somewhat”
(semiautomatic; semidetached; semiformal).
[Middle English < Latin sēmi-, c. Old English sōm-, sām- half (modern dial. sam-), Old High German sāmi-, Greek hēmi-, Skt sāmi-; compare sesqui-]
usage: See bi-1.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
What do bimonthly and biweekly mean?:
Usage Guide
Prefix
Many people are puzzled about bimonthly and biweekly,
which are often ambiguous
because they are formed from
two different senses of bi-:
"occurring every two" and "occurring two times."
This ambiguity has been in existence for nearly a century and a half
and cannot be eliminated by the dictionary.
The chief difficulty is that many usersof these words
assume that others know exactly what they mean,
and they do not bother to make their context clear.
So, if you need bimonthly or biweekly,
you should leave some clues in your context to the sense of bi- you mean.
And if you need the meaning "twice a,"
you can substitute semi- for bi-.
Biannual and biennial are usually differentiated.
Dictionary of Problem Words and Expression
Semi-
This is an element from Latin meaning “half”
and is prefixed to many words in English:
semiannual, semiautomatic, semicircle,
semicolon, semifinal, semiformal,
semiprofessional, and so forth.
