2012

Status
Not open for further replies.

rosa87

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Hi,

Recently, I have come across with people reading 2012 as "twenty, twelve". I was wondering if this is correct. I always read it as "two thousand twelve".

Thank you:)
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Hi,

Recently, I have come across with people reading 2012 as "twenty, twelve". I was wondering if this is correct. I always read it as "two thousand twelve".

Thank you:)

You'll hear "two thousand and twelve" (BrE, I don't know if this is used in AmE), "two thousand twelve" (AmE, never used in BrE) and "twenty twelve". I don't know if the latter is used in AmE but it's become even more prevalent since the subject of the London Olympics has been talked about so much. For some reason the "two thousand and twelve Olympics" doesn't sound as neat as the "twenty twelve Olympics" or, as it's known here, "London twenty twelve".

We didn't say the years this way in the UK until 2010 (ie we never said "twenty oh eight" etc). I have heard people using "twenty ten" - that may be because there was a film (sequel to 2001 A Space Odyssey) by the same name and that was officially referred to as "twenty ten". I don't think "twenty eleven" was as popular though.
 
Last edited:

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
You'll hear both being used.
 

rosa87

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Thank you! It was of great help for me. :)
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
You'll hear "two thousand and twelve" (BrE, I don't know if this is used in AmE), "two thousand twelve" (AmE, never used in BrE) and "twenty twelve". I don't know if the latter is used in AmE but it's become even more prevalent since the subject of the London Olympics has been talked about so much. For some reason the "two thousand and twelve Olympics" doesn't sound as neat as the "twenty twelve Olympics" or, as it's known here, "London twenty twelve".

We didn't say the years this way in the UK until 2010 (ie we never said "twenty oh eight" etc). I have heard people using "twenty ten" - that may be because there was a film (sequel to 2001 A Space Odyssey) by the same name and that was officially referred to as "twenty ten". I don't think "twenty eleven" was as popular though.

I was horrified to hear somebody on BBC Radio 4 say "That was in twenty oh seven".:shock:
This was yesterday.
 

david11

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
I was horrified to hear somebody on BBC Radio 4 say "That was in twenty oh seven".:shock:
This was yesterday.

I had heard Indian medias saying "twenty oh nine" during general election which was held in 2009.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
I was horrified to hear somebody on BBC Radio 4 say "That was in twenty oh seven".:shock:
This was yesterday.
I'd horrify you; I say "oh seven" (without the 'twenty) in informal conversation. Within my family, I even say "ought seven", a conscious reminder of the way my grandfather used to speak of the years of the first decade of the twentieth century.
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
"Twenty twelve" is the way I hear it most often here in the US. As stated above, no one would said it like this for years before 2010.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I'd horrify you; I say "oh seven" (without the 'twenty) in informal conversation. Within my family, I even say "ought seven", a conscious reminder of the way my grandfather used to speak of the years of the first decade of the twentieth century.

You've pointed out something I completely neglected - I too say "oh five, oh six, oh seven" etc without the "twenty" but I wouldn't say them with the "twenty".
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top