Pronouncing the new century.

In 1999 I wondered whether people would continue with the 18,19,20
thing and say well here in the year twenty twenty (2020)
the environment has gotten better or whatever.
But the 2000's seem to have taken a break from that, nobody
seems to use twenty oh five or 20 oh six.
Wonder why that break occured, it is always the year two thousand
and five, two thousand and two, etc.
Curious, no?

the new sen-tur-re

Yeah, I noticed that too. Maybe when it gets to 2010 and the "o" bit goes things will change.

Originally posted by sonhouse
In 1999 I wondered whether people would continue with the 18,19,20
thing and say well here in the year twenty twenty (2020)
the environment has gotten better or whatever.
But the 2000's seem to have taken a break from that, nobody
seems to use twenty oh five or 20 oh six.
Wonder why that break occured, it is always the year two thousand
and five, two thousand and two, etc.
Curious, no?

I believe there is a guideline within the BBC that years must now be referenced as "Twenty oh five" etc. 'Two thousand and five' sounds OK, even 'two thousand and twelve', but it starts to get a bit laborious from 'two thousand and thirteen' onwards.

As a normal number you would say 1987 to be nineteen hundred and eighty seven, which is nineteen eighty seven for a bit shorter. With 2002 you don't say twenty hundred and two, making it silly to suddenly say twenty and two, or twenty o two. I think it is quite logical to say two thousand and two when you are dealing with a year just as you would when dealing with a number.

You'll see (or not), from the year 2100 it will be different again, it will be twentyone fifteen for 2115...!

Originally posted by sonhouse
In 1999 I wondered whether people would continue with the 18,19,20
thing and say well here in the year twenty twenty (2020)
the environment has gotten better or whatever.
But the 2000's seem to have taken a break from that, nobody
seems to use twenty oh five or 20 oh six.
Wonder why that break occured, it is always the year two thousand
and five, two thousand and two, etc.
Curious, no?