Re: Time in various languages...

On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 13:32:00 +0000, Thomas Widmann
<twid@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
<news:m3fynr2awf.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> in sci.lang:

> "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

>> Seán O'Leathlóbhair wrote:

>>> You probably should have two or more English versions.
>>> Common usage differs in the UK and US. 10:30 is
>>> commonly "half ten" here in the UK but I believe that
>>> is rare in the US.

>> Unknown. Whenever a visiting English says it to me, I
>> have to ask whether it means 9:30 (halfway to 10) or
>> 10:30 (no convincing mnemonic).

> Does it mean 9:30 in any variety of English?

I don't believe so. Unfortunately. 'Halb zehn' = 9:30
makes sense; the English usage is thoroughly unreasonable.

Brian
.

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