On 8/30/2010 7:58 PM, lucky lindy wrote:
"brian wrote in message
...
On 8/18/2010 8:25 AM, Flaps_50! wrote:

Just a note, you might correct the spelling -its Biennial or
biannual.....

Biannual = twice a year
biennial = once in two years

Brian W

-Usage note
All words except biennial referring to periods of time and prefixed by bi- 1
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." 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 ).


It's interesting that the COD can distinguish biennial from biannual,
but havers at "bimonthly" where it explains:
(periodical) produced or occurring every two months or twice a month...
....which illustrates the reason I am in sympathy with your usage note,
no doubt.

Brian W