posted
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.
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Registered: Oct 1999
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Charles Capps
We appreciate your concern. It is noted and stupid.
Member # 9
posted
It's the zero that throws things off.
Twenty oh four (2004) vs Twenty ten (2010).
The latter sounds much more natural.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
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.
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-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
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)
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
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.)
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
*sees we aren't having a discussion on the movie 2001*
*walks away sulking*
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Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
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.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
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 ...
-------------------- Lister: Don't give me the "Star Trek" crap! It's too early in the morning. - Red Dwarf "The Last Day"
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capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
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 ]
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
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.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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