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MrGuedes Posted 13 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
Years with over 4 digits
Hello! I have a question.
Although I may be stupidly growing "concerned" about a situation that will only strike nearly 8000 years from now (if Humanity still exists then), I've been wondering how will we read the years in English from the year 10.000 on.
Until 99, we read the whole number (e.g. 73 - "seventy-three"). Until 9999, we read the latter 2 digits as a whole, preceeded by the the first 1 or 2 digits (e.g. 492 - "four ninety-two"; 5326 - "fifty-three twenty-six").
But from then on, how shall it be?
In Latin languages, we'd have no problem, because we always read the entire number as a whole (literally, taking the previous example, we read "five thousand nine hundred and twenty-six").
But what about in English? Does anyone know? Thank you!
Although I may be stupidly growing "concerned" about a situation that will only strike nearly 8000 years from now (if Humanity still exists then), I've been wondering how will we read the years in English from the year 10.000 on.
Until 99, we read the whole number (e.g. 73 - "seventy-three"). Until 9999, we read the latter 2 digits as a whole, preceeded by the the first 1 or 2 digits (e.g. 492 - "four ninety-two"; 5326 - "fifty-three twenty-six").
But from then on, how shall it be?
In Latin languages, we'd have no problem, because we always read the entire number as a whole (literally, taking the previous example, we read "five thousand nine hundred and twenty-six").
But what about in English? Does anyone know? Thank you!
Top answer
I'm going to say eg 10153 one oh one fifty-three. Clive
- I'm going to say eg 10153 one oh one fifty-three.
- Clive
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10 Answers
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Yeah, but what if it had no 0s? With 0s it's easier, because you can "interrupt" the series of number you're saying just to say the 0 individually. But what about, for example, 28.563? Twenty-eight five sixty-three? Two eighty-five sixty-three? Twenty-eight fifty-six three? Anything else? Is there any convention already determined for these cases? Or is it anyway you want?
And what about
And what about
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It's impossible at this point to figure out what people will say.
Maybe we will all speak Klingon instead of English by then. Or communicate telepathically, without words.
Clive
Maybe we will all speak Klingon instead of English by then. Or communicate telepathically, without words.
Clive
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Yeah, my question was mainly if there was already some procedure determined.
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Until we actually reached 2001, none of us could have known whether 'two thousand (and ) one' or 'twenty oh/nought/zero/etc' would be the one that was actually used. Any guesses about future usage are just that - guesses.
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OK. I didn't know that, because I was too young in late 20th century to recall anything about it. I, personally, like to say "twenty oh one", but it looks like both are acceptable. I thought someone might have already established that for 10.000, but it looks like no one has done so. Well, thank you very much!
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If the human race and English both still existed in anything resembling their modern forms by then I'd be extraordinarily surprised, if I were still alive.
By analogy to practice today I'd guess that 10001 would be ten thousand and one, but once we reached 10010 I'd guess that we'd be saying ten oh ten. 10100 would be ten one hundred, 10153 would be ten one fifty t
By analogy to practice today I'd guess that 10001 would be ten thousand and one, but once we reached 10010 I'd guess that we'd be saying ten oh ten. 10100 would be ten one hundred, 10153 would be ten one fifty t
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I mostly agree with CSnyder, though I think that a less formal form would eliminate the first two digits.
If talking about the current year or the recent past, 10153 would become "one-fifty-three".
If precision is needed, like in a history class, then CSnyder's conventions would be the norm.
If talking about the current year or the recent past, 10153 would become "one-fifty-three".
If precision is needed, like in a history class, then CSnyder's conventions would be the norm.
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