Did we lose the war against “assistant” captain?

[MikeyMike01]

How could "alternate" captain possibly be correct? That doesn't even begin to make any sense grammatically. Maybe "alternative" captain, but "alternate?" Or is this another American English thing?

/r/confidentallyincorrect

Definition of ALTERNATES

occurring or succeeding by turns; arranged first on one side and then on the other at different levels or points along an axial line; arranged one above or alongside the other… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

 

[Auston Marlander]

Also, this is an August thread. Not a February thread.

I'm trying to think of a thread that would matter less and I've come up with nothing.

Of all the irrelevant threads this place has seen, this one is up there.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

/r/confidentallyincorrect

Definition of ALTERNATES

occurring or succeeding by turns; arranged first on one side and then on the other at different levels or points along an axial line; arranged one above or alongside the other… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

That’s alternate the verb not alternate the noun. Like on a jury, often in the states you pick 12 jurors and two alternates in case a juror or two gets dismissed. (Although isn’t the alternate in alternate captain an adjective?)