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Salvatore Volatile
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:59 pm
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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nancy13g wrote:
| Quote: |
Jeffrey Turner wrote:
Am I the only one who might say "a quarter _of_"?
Not the only one. I say it all the time.
Is this another New England thing, does anybody know?
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At least some native New York City speakers use "of" in such a way, though
it appears to have died out among post-Sputnik speakers.
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Jim Lawton
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:27 pm
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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On Tue, 8 Nov 2005 13:49:57 +0100, Bertel Lund Hansen
<nospamfilius@lundhansen.dk> wrote:
| Quote: | Jim Lawton skrev:
I see what you say elsewhere about watches without hour hands,
but in life as in programming, we shouldn't spend time on
unlikely exceptions.
I think Jimi only used that picture to force us not to specify
the hour.
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Sorry - we programmers can be too literal sometimes (he smiled, thus avoiding
using the  which is frowned on in these parts).
--
Jim
the Yorkshire polymoth |
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Jeffrey Turner
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:39 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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JF wrote:
| Quote: | X-No-Archive: yes
In message <MPG.1dda7d9e80b332b498a221@news.ntlworld.com>, the Omrud
usenet.omrud@gmail.com> writes
I'm curious about this, since it is quite common in swedish.
Are Swedish watches of such low quality that the hour hands regularly
fall off?
Our grandfather clock (which boring, nit-picking know-alls insist on
calling a long case clock) was 50 years old when that Napoleon chappie
marched on Moscow. It has one hand -- an hour hand. In those days that
was reckoned quite adequate for measuring the passage of time. The
minute hand (the hand which sweeps through 360 degrees every hour) is a
new-fangled innovation whose usefulness I question.
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My mom's grandfather clock (it used to be my grandfather's)
chimes every quarter-hour, so it's quite possible to know that
the time is "on the hour" without knowing which hour it is.
--Jeff
--
The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed
from without. It has to come from within.
--Mohandas K. Gandhi
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Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:41 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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the Omrud wrote:
| Quote: | jimi_usenet@hotmail.com> spake thusly:
[...]
But what if you don't know the hour? If, for instance, the hour
hand
of your analog watch is broken, but the minute hand is perfectly
fine. If the minute hand is pointing 12, what time whould you say
it
was?
"On the hour", I think. "Five to something" if it's nn:55.
[...] |
In broadcasting, and I imagine other, circles, "the top of the hour"
is sometimes heard.
--
Mike. |
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Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:44 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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Jim Lawton wrote:
| Quote: | On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 10:39:38 +0100, Ross Howard <gguiri@yahoo.com
wrote:
On 8 Nov 2005 01:08:58 -0800, jimi_usenet@hotmail.com wrought:
[...]
But what if you don't know the hour? If, for instance, the hour
hand of your analog watch is broken, but the minute hand is
perfectly fine. If the minute hand is pointing 12, what time
whould
you say it was?
I'm curious about this, since it is quite common in swedish.
Annoying TV and radio types say "the top of the hour".
And endearingly, the Irish say "Top of the morning!".
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It's yer man Wogan again, entirely. He has me totally banjaxed.
--
Mike. |
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Jeffrey Turner
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:45 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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jimi_usenet@hotmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | In swedish, if the time is X O'Clock (it can be 1 O'Clock, 2 O'Clock or
whatever) and we don't bother about the exact hour, we use the word
"hel" (whole, entire, full, complete). What do you say in english?
Example:
A: What time is it?
B: Half past.
[15 minutes later]
A: What time is it now?
B: A quarter to.
[15 minutes later]
A: What time is it now?
B: ???
Also, do you say "5 minutes to", without the hour part? If not, what do
you say if it's five minutes left until the "full hour"? In swedish, "5
minutes to four" is "fem i fyra", and if we're not interested in the
hour then it's simply "fem i".
I'm interested in both AmE and BrE usage.
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Am I the only one who might say "a quarter _of_"?
--Jeff
--
The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed
from without. It has to come from within.
--Mohandas K. Gandhi |
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Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:50 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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Jim Lawton wrote:
| Quote: | On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 10:39:38 +0100, Ross Howard [...]
Annoying TV and radio types say "the top of the hour".
And endearingly, the Irish say "Top of the morning!".
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Oh, and DCW below reminds me that among bus and train peopl the hour
isn't always mentioned, but the minutes are given in full:
"forty-five".
--
Mike. |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 1:00 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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Mike Lyle <mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> spake thusly:
| Quote: | Jim Lawton wrote:
On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 10:39:38 +0100, Ross Howard [...]
Annoying TV and radio types say "the top of the hour".
And endearingly, the Irish say "Top of the morning!".
Oh, and DCW below reminds me that among bus and train peopl
|
You are Michael Howard and I claim my Conservative Party knighthood.
| Quote: | the hour
isn't always mentioned, but the minutes are given in full:
"forty-five".
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IT folk do that as well.
--
David
=====
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John_Kane@tricolour.queen
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 1:05 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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Spehro Pefhany wrote:
| Quote: | On Tue, 8 Nov 2005 17:41:54 -0000, the renowned "Mike Lyle"
mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> wrote:
the Omrud wrote:
jimi_usenet@hotmail.com> spake thusly:
[...]
But what if you don't know the hour? If, for instance, the hour
hand
of your analog watch is broken, but the minute hand is perfectly
fine. If the minute hand is pointing 12, what time whould you say
it
was?
"On the hour", I think. "Five to something" if it's nn:55.
[...]
In broadcasting, and I imagine other, circles, "the top of the hour"
is sometimes heard.
That would be "the bottom of the hour" in Newfoundland?
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Would not that depend if it was said by a Newfoundlander or someone
from away?
John Kane, Kingston ON Canada |
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Spehro Pefhany
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 1:09 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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On Tue, 8 Nov 2005 17:41:54 -0000, the renowned "Mike Lyle"
<mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> wrote:
| Quote: | the Omrud wrote:
jimi_usenet@hotmail.com> spake thusly:
[...]
But what if you don't know the hour? If, for instance, the hour
hand
of your analog watch is broken, but the minute hand is perfectly
fine. If the minute hand is pointing 12, what time whould you say
it
was?
"On the hour", I think. "Five to something" if it's nn:55.
[...]
In broadcasting, and I imagine other, circles, "the top of the hour"
is sometimes heard.
|
That would be "the bottom of the hour" in Newfoundland?
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com |
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nancy13g
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 1:42 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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Jeffrey Turner wrote:
| Quote: | Am I the only one who might say "a quarter _of_"?
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Not the only one. I say it all the time.
Is this another New England thing, does anybody know? Jeff, where are
you located? |
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Jim Lawton
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 2:30 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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On Tue, 08 Nov 05 13:14:24 GMT, D.C.Wood@ukc.ac.uk (dcw) wrote:
| Quote: | In article <1131438209.851589.189110@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
jimi_usenet@hotmail.com> wrote:
In swedish, if the time is X O'Clock (it can be 1 O'Clock, 2 O'Clock or
whatever) and we don't bother about the exact hour, we use the word
"hel" (whole, entire, full, complete). What do you say in english?
Example:
A: What time is it?
B: Half past.
[15 minutes later]
A: What time is it now?
B: A quarter to.
[15 minutes later]
A: What time is it now?
B: ???
Once, long ago, I heard someone saying when the buses went:
"Twenty past, twenty to, and at".
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I like it - that would normally be "on the hour" around here.
--
Jim
the Yorkshire polymoth |
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Jim Lawton
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 2:32 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 18:00:13 GMT, the Omrud <usenet.omrud@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Mike Lyle <mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> spake thusly:
Jim Lawton wrote:
On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 10:39:38 +0100, Ross Howard [...]
Annoying TV and radio types say "the top of the hour".
And endearingly, the Irish say "Top of the morning!".
Oh, and DCW below reminds me that among bus and train peopl
You are Michael Howard and I claim my Conservative Party knighthood.
the hour
isn't always mentioned, but the minutes are given in full:
"forty-five".
IT folk do that as well.
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I don't understand. I'm sure I'll do it, but how do you mean? Have you an
example?
--
Jim
the Yorkshire polymoth |
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Seán O'Leathlóbhair
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 2:41 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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nancy13g wrote:
| Quote: | Jeffrey Turner wrote:
Am I the only one who might say "a quarter _of_"?
Not the only one. I say it all the time.
Is this another New England thing, does anybody know? Jeff, where are
you located?
|
I would never say it but wouldn't be too surprised to hear it. I would
regard it as old fashioned though. It may have been common here once
or it may be still common in some areas but not the ones that I
frequent.
--
Seán O'Leathlóbhair |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 2:47 am
Post subject: Re: Quarter past, half past.... O'Clock? |
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Jim Lawton <usenet1@jimlawton.TAKEOUTinfo> spake thusly:
| Quote: | On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 18:00:13 GMT, the Omrud <usenet.omrud@gmail.com> wrote:
Mike Lyle <mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> spake thusly:
Jim Lawton wrote:
On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 10:39:38 +0100, Ross Howard [...]
Annoying TV and radio types say "the top of the hour".
And endearingly, the Irish say "Top of the morning!".
Oh, and DCW below reminds me that among bus and train peopl
You are Michael Howard and I claim my Conservative Party knighthood.
the hour
isn't always mentioned, but the minutes are given in full:
"forty-five".
IT folk do that as well.
I don't understand. I'm sure I'll do it, but how do you mean? Have you an
example?
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I mean like a bus timetable. "this job will run four times each hour
at :12, :25, :41 and :56". Hmmm, is that what Mike meant?
--
David
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