Lost in translation

At a fuel station, a customer filling with fuel at one pump could give the cashier an alternate pump reading (if he assumed it be less than his own) and get away with paying less.

Asked on 28 March 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
You mean alternative? I hate the way the sloppy American misuse of the adjective alternate has crept into the English language. Alternate means one after the other. If the meaning is intended to be instead of, then the adjective is alternative. I see what you mean, but usually CCTV keeps an eye out for this sort of thing.
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