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Thread: Couple of questions

  1. #1
    Старший оракул
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    Couple of questions

    How do you pronounce "1900s" or "1800s" etc?
    I know that, for example, "1910s" is pronounced "nineteen tens, "1920s" - "nineteen twenties" etc.

    And what about an expression "to do something just for the heck of it"? Does it mean "to do something without any reason/purpose"?

    Thanks in advance.
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    How do you pronounce "1900s" or "1800s" etc?
    I guess you don't mean the nineteen hundreds (any year between 1900 -2000), but the first decade of the 1900s. Actually that is a known problem in the english language, there is no standard way to name the first decade. So people say "the double o's" "the first years of 20th century"... hmm any more suggestions?



    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    And what about an expression "to do something just for the heck of it"? Does it mean "to do something without any reason/purpose"?
    Thanks in advance.
    Yes! That is what it means! "Do it, just because we can do it." "Do it for the fun of it!". they all mean the same thing.
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    1901...........nineteen oh one.
    1902...........nineteen oh two
    1903...........nineteen oh three.
    etc.,
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

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    The decade between the nineties and the twenties doesn't have a name.

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie
    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    How do you pronounce "1900s" or "1800s" etc?
    I guess you don't mean the nineteen hundreds (any year between 1900 -2000), but the first decade of the 1900s.
    Yep, you hit the nail on the head, right in the bull's-eye etc. That was exactly what I meant

    Actually that is a known problem in the english language, there is no standard way to name the first decade. So people say "the double o's" "the first years of 20th century"... hmm any more suggestions
    Then I would say "the first decade of the nineteen hundreds (or of the nineteenth century)"

    Yes! That is what it means! "Do it, just because we can do it." "Do it for the fun of it!". they all mean the same thing.
    Thank you.

    Quote Originally Posted by DDT
    1901...........nineteen oh one.
    1902...........nineteen oh two
    1903...........nineteen oh three.
    Yes, I know that, thanks.

    Quote Originally Posted by scotcher
    The decade between the nineties and the twenties doesn't have a name.
    Hm... You mean the decade between the nineties of one century and the... hm... "tens" (1910-1919) of the following century (eg 1900-1909)? Or even two decades between the nineties and the twenties (eg 1900-1919), and they both don't have names, eh?


    Ok, guys, thanks for your help and stay tuned for more questions (if I can come up with some )
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    Then I would say "the first decade of the nineteen hundreds (or of the nineteenth century)"
    The nineteenth century is from 1800 to 1899.
    The twentieth century is from 1900 to 1999.
    We are now in the twenty first century 2000-2099.
    Какая разница, умереть богатым или бедным?

    Какой толк от богатства если ты не счастлив.

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    Actually that is a known problem in the english language, there is no standard way to name the first decade. So people say "the double o's" "the first years of 20th century"... hmm any more suggestions
    Then I would say "the first decade of the nineteen hundreds (or of the nineteenth century)"
    No, you wouldn't say "the first decade of the nineteenth century" because that would mean 1800-1809. If you want to say "the ___ century" you have to go 10 up. For example, the 19th century is the 1800s, the 20th century is the 1900s, and the 21st century is the 2000s. This is because the years 1 AD - 99 AD were the 1st century. Then the years 100-199 were the 2nd and so on.

    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    Yes! That is what it means! "Do it, just because we can do it." "Do it for the fun of it!". they all mean the same thing.
    Thank you.
    If you want a more emphatic, but vulgar, way of saying this, there is "to do something for the hell of it" or (this is a very reginal thing, only I and my friends use this) "to do something for sh*ts and giggles"

    Hope that all helps!

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    Actually I have used, "In the nineteen tens" and been understood, believe it or not.
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

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    Well, I think "nineteen tens" is understood as 1900-1909, where as "the nineteen teens" is understood to be 1910-1919.

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by kwatts59
    The nineteenth century is from 1800 to 1899.
    The twentieth century is from 1900 to 1999.
    We are now in the twenty first century 2000-2099.
    No, you wouldn't say "the first decade of the nineteenth century" because that would mean 1800-1809. If you want to say "the ___ century" you have to go 10 up. For example, the 19th century is the 1800s, the 20th century is the 1900s, and the 21st century is the 2000s. This is because the years 1 AD - 99 AD were the 1st century. Then the years 100-199 were the 2nd and so on.
    Oops! Yes, of course, I know that. It was just a slip of the tongue. Sorry for confusing you, guys.

    Hope that all helps!
    Yes, certainly, that all helped me, thanks

    Well, I think "nineteen tens" is understood as 1900-1909, where as "the nineteen teens" is understood to be 1910-1919.
    Thanks, I've made a mental note.


    I have another дурацкий вопрос
    Can I use the word "guys" if the group of people to whom I address contains not only men, but also women?


    Edited:
    Oh, I got it. My dictionary says:
    "Americans sometimes address a group of people, whether they are male or female, as guys or you guys. (INFORMAL)"
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

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    I have never actually heard anyone say " in the nineteen teens" ..........but if I did I would understand.
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    I have another дурацкий вопрос
    Can I use the word "guys" if the group of people to whom I address contains not only men, but also women?
    Edited:
    Oh, I got it. My dictionary says:
    "Americans sometimes address a group of people, whether they are male or female, as guys or you guys. (INFORMAL)"
    Some feminist women might freak out over that though, but you don't find too many of them around

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    Yeah, it's not very PC (politicaly correct), but we still use it all the time.

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    I even use "dude" when adressing a woman. Haven't been slapped once!
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
    Trusnse kal'rt eturule sikay!!! ))

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie
    I even use "dude" when adressing a woman. Haven't been slapped once!
    Everything happens for the first time someday, sooner or later

    Now, could somebody tell me what the word "yay" means, please? I know it's a difficult question
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

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    Re: Couple of questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    Now, could somebody tell me what the word "yay" means, please? I know it's a difficult question
    "yay" is short for "hooray"
    Какая разница, умереть богатым или бедным?

    Какой толк от богатства если ты не счастлив.

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    точнее - Ура!

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    I heard a name once for the decade from 00-09, pronounced like "nots," though I don't know how to spell it. There's another way to say it, but it doesn't come to mind readily... stupid English.

    To do something for the heck of it means to do something merely for the sake of doing it, just because the thing you're doing is somehow appealing or worth doing in and of itself. For example, "I'm learning Chinese for the heck of it" would mean that you're learning Chinese just because you want to and it's rewarding, not because, say, you're about to move to China.

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    Quote Originally Posted by token_287
    I heard a name once for the decade from 00-09, pronounced like "nots," though I don't know how to spell it. There's another way to say it, but it doesn't come to mind readily... stupid English.
    The word you're looking for is naught, meaning "zero" or "nothing," depending on the context. There is no proper way to make a plural of it, so I suppose "naughts" would work well enough.

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    In the USA some people will say "ot" I don't know how it is spelt. It could be an abrieviation for the word "nought" , I don't know. I have heard it for example 1909 "nineteen ot nine" and especially for bullet calibres such as 30-06 "thirty ot six".

    Also for years such as 1909 etc. you will sometimes hear "ninteen hundred and nine"
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

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