Re: Decimals

On Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:06:03 +0100, Ian Jackson
<ianREMOVETHISjackson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In message <1j4w7aw.6f55f9gop4rzN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, J. J. Lodder
<nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
John Varela <OLDlamps@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:26:30 UTC, Farhad <fvafajoo@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi All,

According to Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, in decimals, the
numbers after the period are read digit by digit. For instance, 25.15
is read as twenty five point one five. Do native English speakers
follow this pattern of reading decimals? You don't read the above
number as twenty five point fifteen? If you do, which way of reading
decimals is the norm?

In ordinary conversation I would say that as "twenty-five point
fifteen". If reading values from a meter for someone to write down,
speaking against a noisy background, or similar circumstances, I
would say "two five point one five".

This may to be one of the things that American inherited from Dutch.
Dutch pi is 'drie komma veertien', to two decimal places,
never 'drie komma een vier'.
Longer strings of decimals are spoken digit by digit hough.

But the Dutch (and others) 'pair' numbers in telephone numbers, don't
they? That's something we don't do in Britain (unless maybe for some
'catchy' radio or TV advert). [It's not usual in America either (I
think).] We usually give the numbers individually, typically in blocks
of 4, 3 and 4 (landline), and 5, 3 and 3 for mobiles.

My landline number is given as 3, 4 and 4. That is the Totally Official
way of giving it as used in British Telecom's directories.

I live in Northern Ireland where the (area) Code for the whole place is
028.

One of my sisters lives in Southend. Her (area) Code is 01702. The rest
of the number is given in the directory as 6 digits without a space. I
suspect she would say it as 3 and 3.

I remember (when I can!) and give my mobile number as 3, 4 and 4. That
is perhaps a personal quirk.

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
.

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