Re: [OT Why GB English is different] Re: Mozilla firefox en-gb
Travis Crump wrote:
Damon L. Chesser wrote:
Daniel B. wrote:
Damon L. Chesser wrote:
...
My two cents: two hundred *and* twenty would = 200.20 or so I
have been taught by my 9th grade math teacher. The *and* indicates
a decimal.
Are you sure you heard your math teacher correctly? If so, she or
he was definitely wrong.
Consider "one hundred and twenty five dollars": that certainly
means $125 and not $100.25.
It is technically (mathematically speaking) "one hundred twenty five
dollars".
Consider "101 Dalmations": I've usually heard that said as
"one hundred and one dalmations" and that certainly doesn't
mean 100.1 of them.
As I said, in common usage it is ignored and understood what you
mean. It's like "never end a sentence in a prepresitional phrase".
I don't unless I have to. ;)
How would you say 1.023? One and 23 thousandths. So why wouldn't 1.23
be 'One and 23 hundredths' and leave 'one thousand and 23' reserved
for 1,023. Following this, you say every number the same. Going
through it in my mind, I pretty much treat it as any other list,
dropping every 'and' but the last one. Put another way, say you have
'One thousand women, 3 hundred men, and 46 children'. How many people
do you have? 'One thousand people, 3 hundred people, and 46 people'.
Factor out people so that you only say it once and you have 'One
thousand, 3 hundred, and 46 people'.
Not my rule. I just repeated what I was taught. Just because you speak
that way does not make it the most correct way. As I said: It is
ignored in common usage. Ignore it long enough, it will not be the
"rule". Language is fluid (at least English, on both sides of the
water). You can say eighty-two fifty ($82.50), eighty-two and fifty
cents, eighty-two dollars and fifty cents. All are understood. By the
way your example is in error: you would never say 1000 people, 300
people, etc. You might say 1000 women, 300 men, and 46 kids. As for
your decimal examples: I agree. Except one and 23 is = 1.23 = 1 and 23
hundredths (unless you are using Old English or prose, but that is
different, with different rules). Not my rule. I do not own it. I
also say "and". I also know the "correct" rule. I chose to use the
correct way when it is advantageous to do so. The only important thing
is if the hearer can understand what was said. Talk to your audience
at their level with their words and you will be understood. My and 2
cents worth.
--
Damon L. Chesser
dchesser@bigfoot.com
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