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MUSCOVITE Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
phone numbers with "multiple digits"
Hi,
I wonder what is the most "natural" way to pronounce phone numbers like these (where some digits are used three or more times in a row):
8 926 444 55 55
8 905 333 33 00
8 999 000 11 11
Let's take a look at the first example phone #.
Which is most common,
(1) four-four-four (2) four-forty four (3) forty four - four (4) triple four?
My understanding is that by far the most common version is 2)?
The forth version would sound kind of "exotic" to native speakers I guess? I mean the term "triple" would NOT sound natural to you (being perfectly understandable though)? In other words we cannot parallel triple one/two,etc. to the much more common double one/two, etc.?
mus-te
I wonder what is the most "natural" way to pronounce phone numbers like these (where some digits are used three or more times in a row):
8 926 444 55 55
8 905 333 33 00
8 999 000 11 11
Let's take a look at the first example phone #.
Which is most common,
(1) four-four-four (2) four-forty four (3) forty four - four (4) triple four?
My understanding is that by far the most common version is 2)?
The forth version would sound kind of "exotic" to native speakers I guess? I mean the term "triple" would NOT sound natural to you (being perfectly understandable though)? In other words we cannot parallel triple one/two,etc. to the much more common double one/two, etc.?
mus-te
Top answer
I almost always say and hear each digit separately (four four four ). I never hear triple four .
- I almost always say and hear each digit separately (four four four ).
- I never hear triple four .
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11 Answers
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I almost always say and hear each digit separately (four four four).
I never hear triple four.
I never hear triple four.
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I agree with Clive -- I almost always hear and say each digit separately. Occasionally if the last four digits correspond to a certain year, they might be pronounced that way -- for instance, 1-303-492-1960 could be "one, three-oh-three, four-nine-two, nineteen-sixty."
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You just say each digit. You only say a phone number so that somebody else can copy it down, and that's the only way to be clear and not trip them up. Exceptions are "one eight hundred" (1-800-***-XXXX), commercial numbers in round figures (876 - five thousand), and probably some others I can't think of right now. I say "zero" instead of "oh" just to be clear, too.
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I would pronounce each number singly, except for the last four digits which I would pronounce as two pairs, as long as they do not involve a zero in the first digit of the two digit pair.
Example:
Eight, nine, two, six, four, four, four, fifty-five, fifty-five.
Eight, nine, O*, five, three, three, three, thirty-three, zero, zero
Eight, nine, nine, nine, zero, zero, zero, elev
Example:
Eight, nine, two, six, four, four, four, fifty-five, fifty-five.
Eight, nine, O*, five, three, three, three, thirty-three, zero, zero
Eight, nine, nine, nine, zero, zero, zero, elev
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In the US, there is an exception with the area codes 800 and 900. A number like 1 800 444 5555 would be pronounced as: one eight hundred four four four five five five five. 1 900 333 3300 would be pronounced: one nine hundred three three three three three zero zero.
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knoff,
enoon,
KJinCali79,
Thank you so much for your comments (which are very interesting and very clear)!
One more point if I may.
I have got an audio course named "Telephoning in English"... To begin with, it is a British course. Second, it is "old enough" (~ 15...20 years old :-). Curiously, I can hear double <digit> very often in the
enoon,
KJinCali79,
Thank you so much for your comments (which are very interesting and very clear)!
One more point if I may.
I have got an audio course named "Telephoning in English"... To begin with, it is a British course. Second, it is "old enough" (~ 15...20 years old :-). Curiously, I can hear double <digit> very often in the
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MUSCOVITEOn the other hand, as follows from your comments, double is not normally used in modern AE?Has double become rare in today's telephoning?I was quite surprised when I heard it often in BrE (on learning tapes,etc.). It has always been rare in AmE, I think.
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