This has been bothering since the last millenium, but I can't seem to get a straight answer here in Japan.
Most people seem to pronounce the year as '"two thousand two," probably because of the Kubrick movie. But do you think people will ever start pronouncing the years as "twenty-oh-two"? After all, the year of the Battle of Hastings (1066) was "ten sixty-six," not "one thousand sixty-six." I suppose that when the next century rolls around, we'll change to "twenty-one hundred" and "twenty-one oh two" rather than "two thousand one hundred two." I've always thought that "twenty" would be used instead of "two thousand" since I used to watch a cartoon called "Sealab 2020" (pronounced Twenty-twenty).
So, does anyone pronounce the year as "twenty -oh-two"? If not, when do you think you'll change over to "twenty."
Note: I might have asked this a few years ago, I don't remember. Please indulge me.
Posted by Charles Capps (Member # 9) on :
It's the zero that throws things off.
Twenty oh four (2004) vs Twenty ten (2010).
The latter sounds much more natural.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
I agree with Charles. It's the double zero that's upsetting the natural balance of things. Ten-sixty-six sounds good, but does ten-oh-four? As soon as we hit the next decade, we'll probably go to twenty-something.
However, in First Contact, I believe Data said the date was two-thousand-whatever.
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Yes, but that's Data.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
nineteen ninety nine two thousand two thousand and one two thousand and two " " " three " " " four " " " five " " " six " " " seven " " " eight " " " nine two thousand and ten OR twenty-ten two thousand and eleven . . . two thousand and twenty MAINLY twenty-twenty twenty twenty-one twenty thirty twenty forty . . .
What happens when we get to 2100
Twenty one hundred? Two thousand one hundred? Twentyone oh oh Two one oh oh Twentyone double oh
next is easier
2101 (twentyone-oh-one)
Posted by Guardian 2000 (Member # 743) on :
My point-zero-two-dollars on the subject:
I'd imagine we'll probably start using "twenty" when too many syllables start occurring. For instance, "two thou sand thir teen" versus "twen ty thir teen".
It will also revolve around which rolls off the tongue better, in a thoroughly subjective sense. For instance, I think "twenty" is far easier to say than "two thousand", the syllable issue notwithstanding. However, "twenty-oh-two" just seems a bit cumbersome compared to "two thousand two".
So, my guess would be that in 11 years, people will gradually start to switch over, and certainly by "twenty twenty".
quote:Originally posted by AndrewR: 2101 (twentyone-oh-one)
No, that will be a bad year, because in A.D. 2101 war was beginning.
(Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)
Posted by O Captain Mike Captain (Member # 709) on :
i think itll switch away from thousand at the decade mark
two thousand nine and then twenty ten, twenty eleven, so on so forth. at least til the year three-thousand.
Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :
*runs into thread*
*sees we aren't having a discussion on the movie 2001*
*walks away sulking* Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I already say "twenty-oh-x" sometimes, though I admit usually saying "two-thousand-x". I think, since people will most likely continue saying "two-thousand-x" through this decade, they might also say "two-thousand-ten" since it's pretty easy. But I think "two-thousand-eleven" will be cumbersome enough to start the change.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Do most of you say Two thousand - two? I say two thousand AND two... it must be an American thing.
Posted by E. Cartman (Member # 256) on :
I pronounce it as two-thousand-one. No bloody "oh", "and", or "twenty".
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Most people in Germany including myself say two-thousand-two for the current year. I guess it will also become two-thousand-ten, two-thousand-one-hundred ...
Posted by O Captain Mike Captain (Member # 709) on :
i'm going to say twenty ten and no one can fucking stop me. i think a lot of other people will too, because it has one less syllable that two thousand ten.
btw, no one i know has ever said two-thousand-and-anything. its not an american thing, its just you.
[ October 19, 2002, 11:25: Message edited by: O Captain Mike Captain ]
Posted by Boris (Member # 713) on :
I believe we'll continue saying "two thousand thirty four" rather than "twenty thirty four", simply because the established practice is to pronounce dates just like regular numbers unless the result is too long, and 'two thousand' isn't that much longer than 'twenty'. It's a question of what is easier for the brain to decode.
Besides, twenty-thirty and especially twenty- seventy have this annoying rhyme which makes them sounds awfully excited. Since regular people prefer to be lazy whenever they can, two thousand is better -- it sounds relaxed, and has a sense of grandeur. Same with twentyoh -- twentyoh is not a regular English word, and it takes the brain longer to recognize it than it does two thousand. Twenty-nineteen, on the other hand, rhymes like R2-D2.
However, starting with the next century, we'll gain the "x hundred", which is when the regular pronounciation will be a lot longer in every case, so we'll simplify the whole thing to twenty-one-thirty-four.
Boris
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
quote: Twenty-nineteen, on the other hand, rhymes like R2-D2.
In which language?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by O Captain Mike Captain:
btw, no one i know has ever said two-thousand-and-anything. its not an american thing, its just you.
That's true, in the sense that everyone I know says "Two thousand and two". Like everyone I know said "Two thousand and one". Like the movie did.
Posted by Boris (Member # 713) on :
Some websites say that British English requires the 'and'. In the US, it seems we don't pronounce the 'and' so clearly, if at all, so I'll often hear two thousann'n'one or simply two thousand one.
Sol: Ok, eighteen-nineteen rhymes better than twenty-eighteen, but you get the idea. Anyway, it may be a personal thing. I'd pronounce the date two thousand xx.
Boris
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by O Captain Mike Captain: i'm going to say twenty ten and no one can fucking stop me. i think a lot of other people will too, because it has one less syllable that two thousand ten.
btw, no one i know has ever said two-thousand-and-anything. its not an american thing, its just you.
Maybe I should have rePHRASED that for you Mike... Everyone in Australia says two thousand and two... not two-thousand-two. And Brit's I heard say too and Kiwi's.
Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :
I used the 'and' for 2001, but I tend to just say "two thousand two" for 2002.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Laziness like leaving out the u in words like harbour, colour and honour.
Not converting to the metric like the rest of the world.
.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"Laziness like leaving out the u in words like harbour, colour and honour."
We didn't leave them out; you put them in.
Posted by Nimpim (Member # 205) on :
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
I suppose it would be helpful if something interesting had happened between the years 999 and 1010 AD, just to see how we'd refer to them. 8)
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