ON TELLING THE TIME
Sir, —The broadcasting service has long adopted the system of time-tell-ing that appears in time-tables and commonly the Press of giving minutes after the hour—6.4l, 6.52, etc.—instead of minutes to the hour after the first half-hour has elapsed. Common English usage in speaking is to say 20 minutes past 6 and. 20 minutes to 7. I would suggest that common English usage in speech is always preferable to forms which are essentially for the eye. To say 6.53 misleads many people into thinking they have time to spare. Seven minutes to 7 puts a pin into them. It is a cold douche that wakes them up to the fact that only a few minutes remain. Their thoughts should be kept on the seven, not the six. Perhaps the service will take note.—l am, etc.,
DILATORY.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 July 1944, Page 4
Word Count
139ON TELLING THE TIME Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 July 1944, Page 4
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