0
Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
12:00 AM/PM
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/ampm.html claims:
[nq:1]AM stands for the Latin phrase Ante Meridiem which means before noonand PM stands for Post Meridiem : after noon. ... instead. The same goes for 12:00 AM. Just say or write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct? 12:01? 12:05? 12:30? Why is this incorrect?
[nq:1]AM stands for the Latin phrase Ante Meridiem which means before noonand PM stands for Post Meridiem : after noon. ... instead. The same goes for 12:00 AM. Just say or write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct? 12:01? 12:05? 12:30? Why is this incorrect?
Top answer
Paul Brians (on his web site): [nq:2]Although digital clocks routinely label noon 12:00 PM you should ... [/nq] Immediately after midnight. [/nq] Because midnight is at the boundary between the period "after noon" and the period "before noon"; it's a symmetrical situation.
- Paul Brians (on his web site): [nq:2]Although digital clocks routinely label noon 12:00 PM you should ...
- [/nq] Immediately after midnight.
- [/nq] Because midnight is at the boundary between the period "after noon" and the period "before noon"; it's a symmetrical situation.
- Either it's not part of either one, or it's part of both and it makes no sense to call it one or the other.
- Either way, AM and PM are inapplicable.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
713 Answers
0
Paul Brians (on his web site):
[nq:2]Although digital clocks routinely label noon 12:00 PM you should ... write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
Jordan Abel:
[nq:1]If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct?[/nq]
Immediately after midnight.
[nq:1]Why is this incorrect?[/nq]
Because midnight is at the boundary between
[nq:2]Although digital clocks routinely label noon 12:00 PM you should ... write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
Jordan Abel:
[nq:1]If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct?[/nq]
Immediately after midnight.
[nq:1]Why is this incorrect?[/nq]
Because midnight is at the boundary between
00
[nq:1]http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/ampm.html claims:[/nq]
[nq:2]AM stands for the Latin phrase Ante Meridiem which means ... write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
[nq:1]If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct?[/nq]
AFAICS the point
[nq:2]AM stands for the Latin phrase Ante Meridiem which means ... write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
[nq:1]If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct?[/nq]
AFAICS the point
00
[nq:1]If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct? 12:01? 12:05? 12:30? Why is this incorrect?[/nq]
The problem is avoided, therefore solved, by the sequence:
11.59 p.m.
12 midnight
12.01 a.m.
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
The problem is avoided, therefore solved, by the sequence:
11.59 p.m.
12 midnight
12.01 a.m.
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
00
[nq:1]Paul Brians (on his web site): Jordan Abel:[/nq]
True, of course, but it doesn't really matter.
[nq:1]Having said that, the usage created by digital clocks, although etymologically illogical, has practical convenience.[/nq]
Why do you say this usage was "created by digital clocks"? Is that as far back as it goes? I had thought that "12 p.m." (meaning "noon") was already in use de
True, of course, but it doesn't really matter.
[nq:1]Having said that, the usage created by digital clocks, although etymologically illogical, has practical convenience.[/nq]
Why do you say this usage was "created by digital clocks"? Is that as far back as it goes? I had thought that "12 p.m." (meaning "noon") was already in use de
00
[nq:1]http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/ampm.html claims:[/nq]
[nq:2]AM stands for the Latin phrase Ante Meridiem which means ... write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
[nq:1]If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct? 12:01? 12:05? 12:30? Why
[nq:2]AM stands for the Latin phrase Ante Meridiem which means ... write noon or midnight when you mean those precise times.[/nq]
[nq:1]If 12:00 AM is incorrect (for midnight) at what point does it become correct? 12:01? 12:05? 12:30? Why
00
Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ? Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01
John Kane
KIngston ON
John Kane
KIngston ON
00
Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ? Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01
John Kane
KIngston ON
John Kane
KIngston ON
00
John Kane typed thus:
[nq:1]Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ? Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01[/nq]
Gracious, no. All sensible folk start counting at 0.
23:59:59
Apart from anything else, if you use 24:00 for midnight, you'd either have to use 24:30 for half past midnight, or stick to using 24h for only one minute
[nq:1]Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ? Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01[/nq]
Gracious, no. All sensible folk start counting at 0.
23:59:59
> 00:00:00
> 00:00:01Apart from anything else, if you use 24:00 for midnight, you'd either have to use 24:30 for half past midnight, or stick to using 24h for only one minute
00
[nq:1]John Kane typed thus:[/nq]
[nq:2]Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ? Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01[/nq]
[nq:1]Gracious, no. All sensible folk start counting at 0. 23:59:59
I'
[nq:2]Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ? Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01[/nq]
[nq:1]Gracious, no. All sensible folk start counting at 0. 23:59:59
> 00:00:00
> 00:00:01 Apart from anything else, if you ... 24:30 for half past midnight, or stick to using 24h for only one minute (or second) of the whole day.[/nq]I'
00
On 15 Dec 2004 09:41:17 -0800, "John Kane"
[nq:1]Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ?[/nq]
We haven't done this one for a while.
As said before, perhaps 24:00 exists, but 2400 does not, 2359 being the last named minute of the day, no-one having more need for an unambiguous notation for time than the military.
[nq:1]Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01[/nq]
An
[nq:1]Err would you not actually want to write midnight as 24:00 ?[/nq]
We haven't done this one for a while.
As said before, perhaps 24:00 exists, but 2400 does not, 2359 being the last named minute of the day, no-one having more need for an unambiguous notation for time than the military.
[nq:1]Midnight plus 1 minute is 00:01[/nq]
An
0
Related Questions