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*englishbaby*

Feb 22nd, 2011 03:27 pm

p.m and a.m and o'clock

Hi everybody,

I have got 2 questions now
They are very simple but I wonder them.

1.What stands for a.m and p.m .
2. What constraction " o" in o'clock is ? on clock? Why do we use apostrophe here ?

clevermae

Feb 22nd, 2011 06:13 pm

Re: p.m and a.m and o'clock

A.M is Ante Meridiem, P.M. is Post Meridiem. It is a latin word that we used! I think it is the contraction of "of the clock" - O means of, o'clock.

susan53

Feb 23rd, 2011 02:13 am

Re: p.m and a.m and o'clock

The Latin terms mean "before noon" and "after noon". And yes, o'clock" is the contraction of the phrase of the clock which was used in Middle English

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