# Yet again, I need opinions from non-US native speakers of English. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 10, 2007, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399 "2007-01-10T14:01:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/21 "2007-01-10T23:52:51Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends] All times were rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. And yes, I was really brought up to say “five-and-twenty”. But only when telling the time. When counting normally, it was “twenty-five” like everyone else. Was anyone else taught this? [/QUOTE] I’ve never heard this. You weren’t born in the eighteenth century by any chance? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/22 "2007-01-11T00:05:33Z")
Depends. I use a whole range of formats. If you ask me on this message board, how I would say 5:27, then I’m going to be talking specifically about the _text_ you wrote, so my answer is going to be “five twenty-seven”. I grew up in a household where the more analogue version was the norm, so my default would be “about twenty-five past five”., which I’d definitely use for my parents, and anybody my age or older. I’d probably say “five twenty-seven” to people younger than me, and also to the Vietnamese friends I have regardless of age (who can be a bit freaked by old-fashioned measurements of things). My workplace, on the other hand, runs on a twenty-four hour clock, and so do my colleagues in the railway enthusiast community, so I can switch to that format subconsciously. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/23 "2007-01-11T00:31:12Z")
I would say “five twenty-seven” for the former, and "three forty-two "for the latter. The only time I used “\_\_\_\_ after five” or “\_\_\_\_ to four” would be for “quarter to” or “quarter after”. Like 3:15 or 3:45 would be “quarter after [three unspoken]” and “quarter to [four unspoken]”. In those cases, I’m still more likely to say “three fifteen” and “three forty-five” about 85% of the time. I would only use “quarter to” or “quarter after” if the _significant_ time is coming up or just past. For example if we are rushing to catch a train at 4:00 and I was asked “What time is it?” my answer would be “Aw shit, it’s already a quarter to! Hurry!” (the “four” would be impled). If we missed the train, I would say “Dammit, it’s a quarter after. We’re too late.” (Agian the “four” is implied.) ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/24 "2007-01-11T00:34:45Z")
You want just British or Aussie lingo? They say the time differently in Trinidad than they do in the US, I know. I can’t remember exactly what they say but it’s backwards somehow and I always had to think for a minute to interpret it. Let me know if you want to know more about that. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/25 "2007-01-11T01:20:57Z")
I’d be most likely to use approximations; "half past five’ and ‘twenty to four’ If there was some specific need for accuracy, I’d say “five twenty seven” and “three forty two”. If I was announcing the time on a radio show, I might well say “It’s twenty seven minutes past five” and “it’s eighteen minutes to four” ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/26 "2007-01-11T01:28:17Z")
[QUOTE=Kyla] How would you say 5:27? a. five twenty-seven b. twenty-seven past five How would you say 3:42? a. three forty-two b. eighteen to four If you would use one or the other depending on your mood, could you give an approximation of how often you would use one or the other, like 60/40, etc. Thanks! [/QUOTE] I’d be more approximate. I’d probably just say ‘just gone 25 past 5’ or ‘just after 20 to 4’ ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/27 "2007-01-11T02:24:50Z")
[QUOTE=Kyla] How would you say 5:27? a. five twenty-seven b. twenty-seven past five How would you say 3:42? a. three forty-two b. eighteen to four If you would use one or the other depending on your mood, could you give an approximation of how often you would use one or the other, like 60/40, etc. Thanks! [/QUOTE] Why do you want to know this, **Kyla**? It’s not as though any of the expressions lead to ambiguity. In particular, I’m interested in how you think mood can effect grammar/lexicon in regard to time expressions. If someone (who is a non-US native speaker of English) is in a bad mood, for example, why do you think she/he would say “eighteen to four” rather than “three forty-two”? I’d really like to know why you think mood enters into the equation. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/28 "2007-01-11T02:26:10Z")
That should be “_affect_ grammar”… ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/29 "2007-01-11T02:35:49Z")
[QUOTE=guizot] That should be “_affect_ grammar”… [/QUOTE] Nope, you were right first time. ---
**Author:** ![A.I.Wintermute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@A.I.Wintermute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.I.Wintermute)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/30 "2007-01-11T02:55:10Z")
No, he was right the second time. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/31 "2007-01-11T03:00:27Z")
a, a. I’ve always been digital. As a kid I’d say the time was “four ten” or “seven fifty one” and get very odd looks. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/32 "2007-01-11T03:20:27Z")
[QUOTE=A. I. Wintermute] No, he was right the second time. [/QUOTE] Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/33 "2007-01-11T04:02:07Z")
5:27 would be five twenty seven or twenty seven after five (or since I like rounding, half past or 25 after) 3:42 would be three fourty-two, or rounding, three fourty or twenty to four. I haven’t worn a digital watch in years so unless for some freak reason I decided to check my phone, I rarely give an exact time–it’s just easier to approximate. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/34 "2007-01-11T04:18:35Z")
five thirty three forty-five imho since both ways are correct, it’s ok to teach the less popular one since everyone will use the easier way eventually. [QUOTE=Struan] Nope. [/QUOTE] No. affect is correct. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/35 "2007-01-11T04:20:32Z")
I coulda sworn when I opened this thread that the thread title was “Yet again, I need opinions from non- **UK** native speakers of English”. Just ignore my prior post. I’m not “non-US”. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/36 "2007-01-11T04:34:28Z")
Both a). I think I would SOMETIMES say “twenty to X” or “quarter to X” or “ten to X” or “five to X”, but other than those four exeptions, it would always be a). Especially with any level of precision - I think I would even say “five fifty-nine”. ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/37 "2007-01-11T04:56:48Z")
Generally: Five, ten, quarter, and twenty after. X twenty five, X thirty, X thirty five. Twenty, quarter, ten and five to. All numbers not evenly divisible by 5 are said as hour:minutes (five forty two, nine eighteen). The exception to the first rule, for divisible by 5, is when I want to create the impression of precision. If someone asks me the time so they can set their watch, I’ll give them 5:15 rather than quarter after. The exception to all preceding rules is sometimes I’ll read the time and mentally think it one way, but then realize they wanted a general idea or a more precise idea, and then have to try to translate from quarter after to five fifteen and befuddle myself (yes, it’s just that easy). At that point, it’s anyone’s guess what might come out of my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/38 "2007-01-11T10:36:17Z")
[QUOTE=guizot] Why do you want to know this, **Kyla**? It’s not as though any of the expressions lead to ambiguity. In particular, I’m interested in how you think mood can effect grammar/lexicon in regard to time expressions. If someone (who is a non-US native speaker of English) is in a bad mood, for example, why do you think she/he would say “eighteen to four” rather than “three forty-two”? I’d really like to know why you think mood enters into the equation. [/QUOTE] Why do I want to know this? Because I think it’s very weird that our textbooks (which tend towards a rather stilted version of English) teach kids to tell time in what seems to me to be a strange way. But thanks to this thread, I see that it’s not as strange to the UK Dopers, so cool. Thanks. And as for mood, I wasn’t thinking of bad mood vs. good mood, but previous threads like this have showed me that people sometimes use one phrase, and sometimes another, depending what they feel like using at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/39 "2007-01-11T10:46:36Z")
**Struan** , affect is a verb, effect is a noun. Pet peeve of mine, I work with a lot of programmers and that’s one they always get upside-down. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399/40 "2007-01-11T10:55:23Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] **Struan** , affect is a verb, effect is a noun. [/QUOTE] Not always. It is possible to effect change (verb) and a sad person can be said to have a flat affect (noun). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-again-i-need-opinions-from-non-us-native-speakers-of-english/387399.md?page=3)