Re: Time in various languages...

In message <yyrjr77a3ges.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Des Small <vonbladet@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes 
"Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

Joachim Pense wrote:
>
> Peter T. Daniels:
>
> > Thomas Widmann wrote:
> >>
> >> "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
> >>
> >> > Thomas Widmann wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Does it mean 9:30 in any variety of English?
> >> >
> >> > No idea. Given "half past ten," wouldn't "half ten" have to mean
> >> > something different?
> >>
> >> No, why?  It can just be seen as an abbreviation.
> >
> > Of what???
> >
> > Other examples of such "abbreviation"?
>
> Of "half past ten". You know, "half ten" has 5 characters less, space
> included".

If "half past ten" were found to be used in Britain, 

It certainly is.

but considered to have far too many syllables, 

It certainly is.

so one is sometimes dropped, 

It certainly is.

you might have a case. 

He certainly does!

Des
usually prefers rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty

One can probably rigidly define this one: no monoglot native speaker of British English would ever use "half ten" to mean anything but 10:30.

--
Richard Herring
.

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