|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
FGT
Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 762
Location: Turkey
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:11 am Post subject: A rant! |
 |
|
I freely admit to having a rant! There is no substance to this, nonetheless, it offends me so I feel like sharing it with you (ie: having a rant!), please bear with me.
In British English, numerical dates are written dd/mm/yy. In Turkish (and other European languages/countries) numerical dates are written dd/mm/yy. I don't know about Asia, I don't know about South America, I don't know about Canada. (I'd be interested to find out).
Recently I've noticed that everything on the internet is written mm/dd/yy.
For example, taken from recent e-mails:
"This weekend at mymerhaba 2/18/2008" (a Turkish site)
"[email protected] Sent: Mon 2/18/08 1:01 PM" (a British site)
Why are we (who don't normally use mm/dd/yy) having to use this foreign system?
Which system is actually more commonly in use?
I still blanch at the expression "nine, eleven" - it happened on my brother's birthday- 11/9!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
windstar
Joined: 22 Dec 2007
Posts: 235
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 2:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
in Canada, we have a few different formats such as
February 19, 2008
19-02-2008
2008-02-19
depending on the context. Sometimes, we use American style MM-DD-YY but not so common, because it may be misinterpreted as in the case of 02-03-08, is it the second month or the third? So, you will see the name of the month in that case as FEB 03, 2008. I hope it helps. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
scb222
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Posts: 175
Location: Brisvegas, Oz
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:11 am Post subject: dates |
|
|
| yes the american system (MM/DD/YEAR) makes it very confusing sometimes. in australia and asia it's written the bristish way, DD/MM/YEAR, and so it should be, afterall it's the day that changes most frequently, then the month, then the year. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Lewis Collins' tortoise
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 126
Location: Location! Location!
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
It could also be 12/2/1429 today.
We do use Arabic numerals after all. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Lewis Collins' tortoise wrote: |
It could also be 12/2/1429 today.
We do use Arabic numerals after all. |
Indeed, it is the Arabs who invented the number 0.
I think the format MM/DD/YYYY is originated in the land of Uncle Sam!  And this format is confusing.
The international standard date notation (ISO 8601) is: YYYY-MM-DD
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-time.html
The American and British systems for the other units (length, mass, force, etc.) are also confusing.
The American system of units use "ft" and "in" for length, "lb" for weight, "kips" for focres, etc.
But the rest of the world use the International system of units (SI), which is "m" for length, "kG" for mass, and "kN" for force.
| Quote: |
| I still blanch at the expression "nine, eleven" - it happened on my brother's birthday- 11/9!!! |
'9/11' can refer to both 'The fall of the Berlin Wall' on 9 November 1989 and to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in the USA. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
