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I got a calendaring app and a terminology question.

An event that occurs just once, is a one-off

If it occurs every second Monday, and/or 4th Friday of month it is regular

If it happens on a random series of odd days, it is irregular

But if it starts on 12-jan and runs every weekday until 3-mar and never happens again (like a museum exhibiton), it is what-non-technical-one-word?

Hardy
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  • So it doesn't run on weekends. Just the five weekdays for 24 hours a day from 12 jan to 3 march? – vickyace May 05 '16 at 14:43
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    It is also a one-off, just a time taking one. – vickyace May 05 '16 at 14:46
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    I agree, it's a one-off event which spans multiple days. – Max Williams May 05 '16 at 14:47
  • In this context, events are almost by definition limited in duration. Within that period, it would be a daily event run on weekdays. – Lawrence May 05 '16 at 14:48
  • It's continual, if we stretch the meaning to fit it in here. An event running continually only on weekdays from 12 jan to 3 mar. – vickyace May 05 '16 at 14:54
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    What is the most important quality you are trying to convey- its one-timeness or the fact it is longer than one day? Clearly it is still a one-off or one-time event, so what is it about that event that makes you think that one-off is not the best fit? Perhaps it is one-off and the single day one-offs should be called one-day events? – Marv Mills May 05 '16 at 14:59
  • An answer to the question in the title would be 'multi-day event' but I suspect that is not the kind of thing you wanted to see. It could be a 'one-off multi-day event' which is accurate but not a single word answer. – Marv Mills May 05 '16 at 15:01
  • @Marv - that it has a duration, a start and end, is for me the important aspect. The sort of event that would be marked on a wall planner with a wiggly line from start to end rather than a series of separated dots. – Hardy May 05 '16 at 15:09
  • @MarvMills is definitely on to something here. There are really at least two or three orthogonal characteristics that you are trying to sum up in a single word: whether the event happens just once or whether that (type of) event recurs; if the event recurs, whether there is a pattern to its recurrence; and the coverage of a single event that should be represented as extending over multiple days. You would probably be better off treating at least the last one as the distinct characteristic it is. – PellMel May 05 '16 at 15:10
  • @pellmel - my local record shop has discount fridays. That's regular. They have band appearances. That's one-off (a calendar would show "today only at 14:00" to see the band). They have, this year (perhaps other years too, but that is out of range for the calendar), a two-week summer sale: with a start and end date. A word for that is eluding me :) – Hardy May 05 '16 at 15:22
  • The two-week summer sale is: an event, regular, and recurring :) To imply it is an event that spans consecutive days perhaps use 'Extended Event' - Really the problem here is that you are conflating 'one day long' with 'event'... Events can have any duration and still be events. – Marv Mills May 05 '16 at 15:33
  • @Hardy, and when there is an event that runs multiple times per year for two and a half days each time, but at irregular intervals and inconsistent days of the week? Yes, you can choose a different term for every possible combination of characteristics, but I think you would be better off describing distinct characteristics with separate words. – PellMel May 05 '16 at 15:35
  • How about an "extended engagement". – Phil Sweet May 05 '16 at 16:10

5 Answers5

1

I would use 'recurring' for this.

dictionary

recur

verb (used without object), recurred, recurring.

<blockquote>
  <p>1.
  to occur again, as an event, experience, etc.
  2.
  to return to the mind:
  The idea kept recurring.
  3.
  to come up again for consideration, as a question.
  4.
  to have recourse.</p>
</blockquote>

The event recurs on weekdays from 12 Jan through 3 Mar.

brandondoge
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It is difficult to determine one word that conveys the exact mixture of meanings. However 'extended' is an adjective that conveys the meaning of 'smeared out in time'.

adjective

1 - stretched out: extended wires.

2- continued or prolonged: extended efforts.

3 - spread out: extended flags.

4 - widespread or extensive; having extension or spatial magnitude: extended treatment of a subject.

www.dictionary.com

Thus the event would be called an 'Extended Event'

Marv Mills
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If an event is set to occur within a specific period of time, that even has been scheduled to occur within that time frame. 

sched·uled
ˈskeˌjo͞old,-əld/
(adjective)
   1. Included in or planned according to a schedule
   2. Arrange or plan (an event) to take place at a particular time.

The museum exhibit was scheduled for showing each weekday from 12 Jan through 3 Mar.

lux
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I can't think of a one-word example, but "limited-run" seems appropriate for your use, as in "limited-run television series."

quelcjlx
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A bit late with this answer but here's how Google calendar describes it:

Repeats every week on weekdays from ___ to ______.

I expect they have carefully considered such scenarios, so I wouldn't reinvent the wheel unnecessarily.

google

k1eran
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