[General] Year 2018 pronunciation

[northpath]

Normally, we pronounce the 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century years as, for instance, ‘nineteen forty five’.
Why do we pronounce the 21[SUP]th[/SUP] century years as ‘two thousand eighteen’? Why not ‘twenty eighteen’?

 

[bubbha]

Normally, we pronounce the 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century years as, for instance, ‘nineteen forty five’.
Why do we pronounce the 21[SUP]th[/SUP] century years as ‘two thousand eighteen’? Why not ‘twenty eighteen’?

I hear people say "twenty eighteen" far more often than "two thousand and eighteen". In fact, I rarely hear the latter. I also call it "twenty eighteen".

When saying the years 2000-2009, the "two thousand" form is far more common (because it's less awkward: though I've heard people say it, "twenty oh eight" sounds weird to me). The "twenty" form is the most common to refer to the years 2010-2099 (again, because it's less awkward: less wordy).

 

[Tdol]

The change from century to new century is a lot more common than a millennial change, so it has taken longer to decide what to say. The film 2001: A Space Odyssey was always called two thousand and one, but that was decades before we had to use 2000+ dates every day. There were initially various competing views - two thousand, two-oh, and twenty - at the start, and I see the same patterns emerging as Bubbha, though there will always be exceptions.

 

[PHenry1026]

This is a big problem with Text to Speech applications most of which say two thousand eighteen or two thousand and eighteen. I have thousand of entries in my Text to Speech Dictionaries just to change 2018 pronunciations to "twenty eighteen".

It is just the opposite with me; I hear two thousand eighteen or two thousand and eighteen in ordinary speech more often than twenty eighteen.

Not a teacher

 

[emsr2d2]

Little diversion: There was a sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was called 2010: The Year We Make Contact. It was commonly referred to as just 2010 in film circles. Barry Norman, who used to present the wonderful TV series Film [year] referred to that sequel once as "Twenty-ten. Or, as I call it, ten past eight". I don't find myself talking about that film very often but when I do, I call it "ten past eight".

(In case of any confusion, "2010" in the 24-hour clock, is 8.10pm, or "ten past eight".)

I don't recommend you waste any time digging out that movie. It was terrible.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't recommend you waste any time digging out that movie. It was terrible.

Agreed, although the book is not too bad. I remember reading it probably some time around 1990 and naturally calling it two thousand and ten, following the pattern of the original title. Thirty years later, now I'm so accustomed to saying twenty ten, I'm not altogether sure how to refer to it.

 

[probus]

Normally, we pronounce the 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century years as, for instance, ‘nineteen forty five’.
Why do we pronounce the 21[SUP]th[/SUP] century years as ‘two thousand eighteen’? Why not ‘twenty eighteen’?

This is not really a question about pronunciation. It is a question about ussge, and IMHO it should be moved, moderators.

 

[emsr2d2]

This is not really a question about pronunciation. It is a question about usage and​, [STRIKE]IMHO[/STRIKE] in my humble opinion, it should be moved, moderators.

Not all opinions have to be expressed.

[STRIKE]btw[/STRIKE] By the way, you need to edit your post to correct [strike]for[/strike] "ussge".

I agree, probus. It's about how we read something aloud (or in our heads) rather than pronunciation. I'm moving it.

 

[Rover_KE]

PHenry1026, please read this extract from the forum's Posting Guidelines:

You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly in your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice provide the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion.

 

[PHenry1026]

I was a college professor of economics (Ph.D.) for many years; I did not know there was hierarchy of who may comment.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I was a college professor of economics for many years;

I think "a teacher" on this forum means "a teacher of English".

 

[teechar]

I was a college professor of economics for many years; I did not know there was a hierarchy of who [STRIKE]my[/STRIKE] may comment.

[That is unacceptable.] You have no right to take a swipe at ... or any other member here. There is no "hierarchy". Anyone is welcome to contribute. However, we do ask members who are not teachers to indicate that in their replies.

 

[Rover_KE]

I was a college professor of economics for many years; [But this is not an economics forum.]

I did not know there was hierarchy of who my comment. [Ungrammatical.]

A number of respected contributors – some of them very knowledgable in the language – are not too proud to comply with the forum's posting guidelines by stating that they are not (English) teachers. Those who refuse to do so are free to offer their assistance in other forums with less stringent requirements than UsingEnglish.com.

 

[PHenry1026]

I am also currently the owner of a Text to Speech company that produces English Dictionaries for Text to Speech which utilizes a heavy component of phonetics.

Hostage statement follows:

I am not a teacher.