# Pronunciation of Years 2000 and above **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316 "2002-12-17T12:55:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dunmurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dunmurry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunmurry)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/1 "2002-12-17T12:55:12Z")
I want to know why the method used for saying dates has changed since 2000. Before 2000, it was in the form 1998 (nineteen-ninety-eight) with the first two digits said as a number and the last two digits as a number. 2000 was “two thousand” and now 2002 is “two thousand and two”. Why not “twenty-zero-two”. People call 2012 “two thousand and twelve” instead of “twenty-twelve” whoch they would have before the millennium. Why did one year chnage they way dates are said? What way do you think years should be said? ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/2 "2002-12-17T13:21:46Z")
One trend I’ve noticed, but it’s far from universal, is sounding out the abreviation 2k. 2002 is two-kay-two, 2012 would be two-kay-twelve. ---
**Author:** ![mrcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/3 "2002-12-17T13:24:20Z")
3 outa 40 is my favorite:D ---
**Author:** ![zia\_nova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/bc79bd/32.png) [@zia\_nova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zia_nova)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/4 "2002-12-17T13:31:44Z")
I’ve heard 2010 said “twenty-ten” and “two-tousand-and-ten”. I think it’s down to personal preferance. “two-thousand-and-one” is easier to say than “twenty-zero-one”. I imagine it’ll be said “two-thousand-and-something” until we get past 2010(or maybe even 2019). In which case it would be easier to say “twenty-something” “two-thousand-and-twelve” sounds ok. “twenty-twenty-four” sounds good too. 'Sup to you. Well, that’s one take on the whole 2000 question. Confused ya yet? ---
**Author:** ![Tblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tblue)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/5 "2002-12-17T13:45:27Z")
Perhaps it is more rhythmically pleasing to say, with more syllables. Nine-teen-Nine-ty-two (Five syllables) Two-thou-sand and two. (five syllables) Although here in NZ I usually hear it called: “Two thousand two” Twenty-Three (3 syllables, and confusing. 20-03 or 23?) Twenty-Oh-Three doesn’t sound much better. “And” is like “Oh”, but “Twenty-and-three” was probably too archaic. (yet I kinda like it!) Alternately: My prediction is that after 2012 (two thousand twelve), it will become 2013 (twenty thirteen) (a throwback to the imperial system of numbering?) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/6 "2002-12-17T16:51:26Z")
I think we’ll keep struggling along with “two-thousand-\” until we reach 2010, when we’ll start saying “twenty-oh-\”. As for the 200x years I’ve noticed that just saying the last two numbers has become increasingly common, as in “No payments 'till January '03!”. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/7 "2002-12-17T17:41:27Z")
I am sure the trend will be enitrely locked down by 2020. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/8 "2002-12-17T19:13:31Z")
I think it’s 2100 when it will be lost for 900 years. The difference between “two thousand eighty-seven” and “twenty eighty-seven” is slight, but the difference between “two thousand, one hunderd six” and “twenty-one oh six” is significant. ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-years-2000-and-above/143316/9 "2002-12-17T19:40:10Z")
How common was “aught” used back at the last turn of the century? Some pundits kept speculating it’d see a resurgance, so that this’d be twenty-aught-two.