Re: Time in various languages...


Brian M. Scott wrote:
> On 14 Jan 2006 18:41:48 -0800, "ranjit_mathews@xxxxxxxxx"
> <ranjit_mathews@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
> <news:1137292907.972022.104490@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> in sci.lang:
>
> > Brian M. Scott wrote:
>
> >> 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.
>
> > That can be done in English too: "half of ten"
>
> Not in my experience. Perhaps you're thinking of 'quarter
> of ten', which is sometimes used instead of 'quarter to
> ten'; I have never heard it extended to 'half', however, in
> any variety.

OK; it looks like I'm wrong.

.

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