Comments on: How do you say ’2010′?

By: harriet

harriet — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:56:07 +0000

you have heard of double aught shotgun shells, right?
why not say two aught one aught? I don’t know how “aught” is spelled, but you get the idea.

By: GrannyKass

GrannyKass — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:48:59 +0000

I think I’ll say twenty-ten! Columbus sailed in forteen ninty-two. We celebrate America’s founding in seventeen seventy-six, the Civil War ended in eighteen sixty-five. WWII ended in nineteen forty-five. I was born in nineteen fifty, etc. I think you may see my point. It only stands to reason that now we have passed the first decade it is time to say twenty ten. But that’s just my logic!

By: Muse

Muse — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:07:30 +0000

I recently heard a radio DJ proclaim something that was to happen in “o’ten”. That got me thinking, since I hear people say, “o’nine”, but it would likely be me saying two-thousand and ten because of a kid in elementary school still learning place values.

By: Michael Leddy

Michael Leddy — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:40:59 +0000

My spouse and kids and I have argued these questions (in fun). I say “twenty-o”; they insist that saying “two-thousand” is the norm. Alas, I’d rather have The Daily Planner than Zager and Evans on my side. : )

By: Chet

Chet — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:57:27 +0000

twenty ten

By: Carys

Carys — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:06:45 +0000

i say “twenty-ten”

By: Lanzman

Lanzman — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:30:30 +0000

2010 = “twenty ten”. Shorter and punchier than “two thousand ten” or “two thousand and ten”.

By: B Irwin

B Irwin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:23:55 +0000

Both. I help with ESL classes [English as a second language] and twenty-ten is much easier for new speakers.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:48:24 +0000

In the beginning of 2010, both pronunciations will be used widely. But my guess is that by the end of 2010 and into 2011, most English speakers will switch to solely “twenty” for the rest of the century (and into the 22nd century).

This is based simply on the amount of syllables necessary to say the year. We’ve always gone with the least amount of syllables.

For example:
1999 = “Nineteen ninety nine” (less syllables than “One thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine”)
2000 = “Two thousand” (less syllables than “Twenty hundred”)
2010 = “Twenty ten” (less syllables than “Two thousand (and) ten”)