That was one of the debates last night at our New Year's Eve Party at Miners Foundry....what do we call this year? Since we just bid farewell to two-thousand nine, it makes sense that the next year is two thousand ten, right? Not so fast.
In this morning's SF Chronicle -- the antiquated paper/dead tree edition -- a local grammarian has decreed that this year shall be officially called "Twenty Ten". He says the last decade should have been "Twenty Ought," or "Twenty oh oh" because twenty logically follows nineteen.
The grammarian points out that no one would ever say, "I was born in one-thousand, nine hundred and fifty three," one would say "nineteen fifty-three."
On the other hand, think of the Arthur C. Clark novel, "2001, A Space Odyssey." Would you pronounce it "Twenty Oh One: A Space Odyssey"?
Of course there are plenty of more pressing problems in the universe, like terrorism and global warming, but someone needs to settle what we call this year and subsequent years so we can get on with it!
One of the greatest things about our party last night (a 10-couple steering committee of Bridge Street residents and irregulars put this shindig on) was knowing most of the people in the room and getting warm hugs from friends, coupled with "I love you, man!"
All in all, a pretty positive way to begin a sparkling New Year. I wish everyone their best year yet. Let the adventures begin!
I'm rolling with twenty ten. Join the cool kids.
Posted by: Zuri | January 02, 2010 at 12:57 PM
I likwe twenty ten....sounds like we're back to normal, like nineteen ninety-five....Hugs for a great 2010!
Posted by: Lindy Beatie | January 01, 2010 at 06:13 PM