# How do you pronounce aspect ratios (1.85:1, 2.35:1, etc)?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 24, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494 "2003-09-24T06:59:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/1 "2003-09-24T06:59:55Z")
How the hell do you say that?
For example, is **2.35:10** “two point thirty-five tenths”? I know what each aspect ratio looks like, but since I learned about them in magazines and online, I’ve never learned how to say them, so when I’m talking to friends about DVDs, I say “two thirty five something” or something similar to fumble my way around the fact that I don’t known the proper way to say it.
---
### Author:  [@greyseal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greyseal)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/2 "2003-09-24T07:09:55Z")
I would say them: “One point eight five to one.”
…As in gambling odds, or other commonly expressed ratios.
---
### Author:  [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/3 "2003-09-24T07:18:59Z")
I’ll wager one point eight five to one that, **greyseal** is right.
---
### Author:  [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/4 "2003-09-24T07:45:08Z")
Thank you!
---
### Author:  [@todd33rpm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/todd33rpm)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/5 "2003-09-24T12:34:37Z")
Back when I worked retail, people came in all the time saying “one eighty five aspect ratio” or “two and a third ratio” so I’ve gotten used to hearing it that way. Meaning if you use that kind of shorthand in most good video retailers, you shouldn’t get any weird looks or anything, it’s been a given as far as I know.
I wouldn’t necessarily count on this working so well in your typical Sam Goody or Best Buy, however…
---
### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/6 "2003-09-24T15:08:02Z")
Well, I run a film archive, and whenever I’m talking to colleagues, labs, moviegeeks, etc. I just say “One-eight-five”, “Two-three-five”, etc. That is, if I don’t bother just saying “flat”, “Scope”, etc. Never “point” (though undoubtedly some do).
---
### Author:  [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/7 "2003-09-24T16:21:06Z")
Yeah, ArchiveGuy’s got it, “one-three-three” etc.
---
### Author:  [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/8 "2003-09-24T16:37:12Z")
Just thirding **ArchiveGuy**. No ‘point’ or ‘aspect ratio’ necessary.
---
### Author:  [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-aspect-ratios-1-85-1-2-35-1-etc/203494/9 "2003-09-24T18:27:14Z")
Hey, nice handle, wide guy.