| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Off topic: Writing the date in British English Thread poster: inkweaver
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inkweaver 
Germany
Local time: 07:51
French to German
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My daughter came home from school yesterday and told me about her English test. They were supposed to write the date, which should have been "February 15th, 2010" but she wrote "15th February 2010".
It is rather embarrassing, but I honestly can't remember how we used to write the date when I lived in the UK. I do remember that we were taught at school to write "February 15th, 2010", but according to what I found on the web, this is not the correct British way.
I woul... See more My daughter came home from school yesterday and told me about her English test. They were supposed to write the date, which should have been "February 15th, 2010" but she wrote "15th February 2010".
It is rather embarrassing, but I honestly can't remember how we used to write the date when I lived in the UK. I do remember that we were taught at school to write "February 15th, 2010", but according to what I found on the web, this is not the correct British way.
I would be grateful for some responses from native speakers of BE.
TIA. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | 15th February 2010 is the usual British way | Feb 16, 2010 |
I believe the usual way of writing the date in the United Kingdom is "15th February 2010". That is to say, day-month-year.
In the United States, the usual way is February 15 2010. That is to say, month-day-year.
This can cause confusion when only numbers are used - not in the case of dates later than the 12th of the month, of course.
So the infamous 9/11 (meaning the 11th of September) would be 11/9 if written in the British style.
Best wishes,
Jenny
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Jenny Forbes wrote:
I believe the usual way of writing the date in the United Kingdom is "15th February 2010". That is to say, day-month-year.
I second that!
| | | | | 15 February 2010 | Feb 16, 2010 |
I agree with both Jenny and Carolne. As far as I know this is also the official way the date is written according to the European Union convention.
Lucinda
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Emma Goldsmith
Spain
Local time: 07:51
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
| use of ordinals and "the" in a date | Feb 16, 2010 |
This is an interesting subject.
In their Spanish school, my children have come back with
"Tuesday the 15th of February" written down.
I wouldn't dream of writing "the" or "of" although I would of course say it.
Can anyone confirm that you shouldn't write "the" in a date ever, or have things changed in the UK since I was living there?
Another question: When should we use the ordinal in a written date, i.e., 15th February 2010 and when should it be 15 Februar... See more This is an interesting subject.
In their Spanish school, my children have come back with
"Tuesday the 15th of February" written down.
I wouldn't dream of writing "the" or "of" although I would of course say it.
Can anyone confirm that you shouldn't write "the" in a date ever, or have things changed in the UK since I was living there?
Another question: When should we use the ordinal in a written date, i.e., 15th February 2010 and when should it be 15 February 2010? ▲ Collapse
| | | | inkweaver
Germany
Local time: 07:51
French to German
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TOPIC STARTER | Thanks a lot! | Feb 16, 2010 |
Jenny's reply conforms to what I thought. Now I wonder whether this will be marked as a mistake.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 07:51
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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| Do Germans learn British English? | Feb 16, 2010 |
inkweaver wrote:
My daughter came home from school yesterday and told me about her English test. They were supposed to write the date, which should have been "February 15th, 2010" but she wrote "15th February 2010".
I think "15 February 2010" (without the "th") is most common, but I'm not British. That said, what English do the German kids learn at school? Don't just assume it's British -- I recently saw some Dutch youngsters do English exercises from school, and some of it was American English, not British.
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This is obviously off-topic, because I'm from the US, but I found the topic interesting.
My preferred form: 15 February 2010
(It is simple and less likely to be misunderstood.)
The forms I learned in school: February 15, 2010 or 2/15/2010
(I find these forms confusing and the first disruptive with its punctuation.)
The form I like: Monday, the 15th of February 2010
(Yes, I know that the words "the" and "of" are spoken and omitted in all bu... See more This is obviously off-topic, because I'm from the US, but I found the topic interesting.
My preferred form: 15 February 2010
(It is simple and less likely to be misunderstood.)
The forms I learned in school: February 15, 2010 or 2/15/2010
(I find these forms confusing and the first disruptive with its punctuation.)
The form I like: Monday, the 15th of February 2010
(Yes, I know that the words "the" and "of" are spoken and omitted in all but formal writing; still, it feels weird for me not to write them!)
[Edited at 2010-02-16 09:27 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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inkweaver
Germany
Local time: 07:51
French to German
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TOPIC STARTER | Supposedly British | Feb 16, 2010 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
I think "15 February 2010" (without the "th") is most common, but I'm not British. That said, what English do the German kids learn at school? Don't just assume it's British -- I recently saw some Dutch youngsters do English exercises from school, and some of it was American English, not British.
The spelling that is taught is definitely British English. Also, the stories in the first few school books are about British children, their school, families etc. as well as British geography. (Teachers' accents are another matter, unfortunately.)
There is an introduction to American English, geography, culture etc. in grade 9 if I remember correctly.
| | | | Russell Jones
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:51
Italian to English
Samuel Murray wrote:
I think "15 February 2010" (without the "th") is most common, but I'm not British.
Absolutely right Samuel, at least as far as business and official documents are concerned. I don't think anyone would suggest that 15th was actually a mistake in less formal contexts though.
| | | | | The Oxford Guide to Style | Feb 16, 2010 |
This is what The Oxford Guide to Style has to say...
Dates should be shown in the order Day Month Year without internal punctuation, such as 2 November 1993. A named day preceding a date is separated by a comma: Tuesday, 2 November 1993.
In US style, the order is Month Day Year with internal punctuation, such as November 2, 1993.
As for Tuesday the 15th of February, that's how you would say it, but you certainly wouldn't p... See more This is what The Oxford Guide to Style has to say...
Dates should be shown in the order Day Month Year without internal punctuation, such as 2 November 1993. A named day preceding a date is separated by a comma: Tuesday, 2 November 1993.
In US style, the order is Month Day Year with internal punctuation, such as November 2, 1993.
As for Tuesday the 15th of February, that's how you would say it, but you certainly wouldn't put that in formal writing as Derek quite rightly said. I never use ordinals either, as per the Oxford Guide, but as Russell said, I wouldn't consider that a mistake in less formal writing
Simon ▲ Collapse
| | | | Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 02:51
Portuguese to English
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| British Dates | Feb 16, 2010 |
I have always written "15 February 2010" and feel this is the usual British form. I have seen the ordinal form used, though. The other side of the Pond, the order is inverted so "February 15, 2010" in the land of Barack Obama. Similarly the ordinal form can be used here.
I believe the dates are written in full and in words in official documents, in the ordinal form, so "On this fifteenth day of February in the year two thousand and ten I do hereby witness under my hand and seal the ... See more I have always written "15 February 2010" and feel this is the usual British form. I have seen the ordinal form used, though. The other side of the Pond, the order is inverted so "February 15, 2010" in the land of Barack Obama. Similarly the ordinal form can be used here.
I believe the dates are written in full and in words in official documents, in the ordinal form, so "On this fifteenth day of February in the year two thousand and ten I do hereby witness under my hand and seal the facts as set forth hereunder".
Conventions for dates and times very widely around the world. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_and_time_notation_by_country for further information. In Chinese, for example, the date of 29 January 2006 is rendered as 2006年01月29日 (星期天), according to the Wikipedia article. ▲ Collapse
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| Lawks-a-mercy, how jolly confusing :-) | Feb 16, 2010 |
inkweaver wrote:
There is an introduction to American English, geography, culture etc. in grade 9 if I remember correctly.
Although if the kids themselves are calling it "grade 9", then presumably they have more than a passing acquaintance with the US educational system by that stage?
(We don't call them "grades", as you may, or may not, recall And somehow, despite the perpetual battering from US films, sitcoms etc., the age at each "grade" has never managed to penetrate and stick in the old grey matter.)
| | | | inkweaver
Germany
Local time: 07:51
French to German
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TOPIC STARTER
looks like my English is infiltrated by Americanisms!
Sorry, Charlie, of course I do remember that it's not "grade" in BE.
I knew I'd made a mistake somewhere (but I'm tired, overworked, unconcentrated...)
| | | | Jeanie Eldon
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:51
German to English
+ ...
| British format for writing the date | Feb 16, 2010 |
Nowdays, the date is written without the "th", so 15 February 2010.
However, both these versions are correct: 15th of February 2010 (with the of) or February 15th, 2010.
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