[susan53]

Hi everybody,
I'm doing some research into how year dates are now being pronounced. Do you say, for instance, two thousand and twelve, two thousand twelve, or twenty twelve?
If you post, can you say where you come from, so we can see if there are regional differences? And if you've been out of an English speaking country for a while, try asking friends or family there to see if what you feel intuitively to be "normal" really is.
Thanks for your help,
Sue

[arielhud]

I say two thousand twelve.... I think the "and" makes it sound really awkward, but maybe looking up news media clips on Youtube might turn some results. How do -you- say it, Sue? :P

[susan53]

The "and" is British English rather than American. But what made me ask is that in Britain a couple of weeks ago, I kept hearing twenty twelve, rather than the two thousand and twelve which I was expecting. Anybody else?

[arielhud]

Well, I could see "twenty twelve"... it's catchy... like military time. (20:12) I asked my Canadian roommate today and she said she would also say either "two thousand twelve" or "twenty twelve." So, it probably depends on the flow of the sentence and the person.