'O' one or zero one?

[wim121]

Yesterday in pedant mode I corrected Mrs MF when she went to give me a number.

'O' one, two, she started. It threw me for a second.

It's not an 'O' it's a zero I offered up in best CUK pedant mode. You do it then she said.

You werent being pedantic at all.

Now I wouldnt say living with you must be a barrell of laughs form what Ive seen but you are 100% justified in telling her to speak properly or go and live in another country or a trashy part of the UK.

But on the other hand there are standards to maintain:



I aint saying fow-er, one syllable does me.

Hehehe, I quite often get comments from people on the phone, especially when renewing inusrance like I am now, from agents thanking me on saying letters phonetically. Makes it so much simpler and they're job easier. I cant understand why those with a thicker accent (most other people than I) never do this and make a five minute conversation last half an hour.





In short all, if you cant speak English to an acceptable standard, that is one where others can understand what you mean, you should be packed on to a burning barge and cast away from the UK.

Ughhh, if only we had done that decades ago before the chavs got too large in their numbers.

[Bagpuss]

You werent being pedantic at all.

Now I wouldnt say living with you must be a barrell of laughs form what Ive seen but you are 100% justified in telling her to speak properly or go and live in another country or a trashy part of the UK.

Hehehe, I quite often get comments from people on the phone, especially when renewing inusrance like I am now, from agents thanking me on saying letters phonetically. Makes it so much simpler and they're job easier. I cant understand why those with a thicker accent (most other people than I) never do this and make a five minute conversation last half an hour.



In short all, if you cant speak English to an acceptable standard, that is one where others can understand what you mean, you should be packed on to a burning barge and cast away from the UK.

Ughhh, if only we had done that decades ago before the chavs got too large in their numbers.

What if you can't write in English? Where shall we pack you?

[wim121]

What if you can't write in English? Where shall we pack you?

Typo, not a spelling issue. Is that permissible on an informal forum?

I wouldn’t find it acceptable in business, or a plethora of typos even in the informal usage.

No-one will ever speak and type 100% perfectly in all situations at all times. However there is a vast difference between someone speaking in a clear southern voice and a Geordie that sounds like a brain damaged chimp. The latter option, needs to be on the theoretical barge.

[Bagpuss]

Back to the OP. You must be familiar with 0898 numbers? The 0 is pronounced 'O'. Saying zero is more than likely American in origin.

0898 number noun - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online

[wim121]

Back to the OP. You must be familiar with 0898 numbers? The 0 is pronounced 'O'. Saying zero is more than likely American in origin.

0898 number noun - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online

Isnt that just marketing as many companies know the majority of the population are morons and dont understand what zero is?

Just like in that documentary, educating essex, where that dumb girl thought Pi was in fact Pie ....

[Bagpuss]

Typo, not a spelling issue. Is that permissible on an informal forum?

I wouldn’t find it acceptable in business, or a plethora of typos even in the informal usage.

No-one will ever speak and type 100% perfectly in all situations at all times. However there is a vast difference between someone speaking in a clear southern voice and a Geordie that sounds like a brain damaged chimp. The latter option, needs to be on the theoretical barge.

It just goes to show being a condescending smart arse on an internet forum seldom works.

P.S. What is a clear southern voice?
Nasal Essex? Guttural East London? Chavy north west London? Or are you confusing southern with RP which doesn't really belong to any part of the country?

[Bagpuss]

Isnt that just marketing as many companies know the majority of the population are morons and dont understand what zero is?

Just like in that documentary, educating essex, where that dumb girl thought Pi was in fact Pie ....

The name's Bond, James Bond, DOUBLE ZERO seven. Nah, it's just not right old chap.

[Support Monkey]

I never realy thought about it until you put the thought in my head, when anyone asks me for my mobile number i always say

'0'79**66'Zero'***

when clearly it should start with Zero, i will test it out at the first oppurtunity to see if i can start with 'Zero'

It just rolls of the tongue easier, "try it"

[Wodewick]

On a scale of O to Ten WGAS?

[Spacecadet]

Given that (almost) every phone number starts with a zero, the linguistic shortcut of "O" instead of "Zero" is perfectly natural.
Further in the telephone number structure the numbers are more important and an "O" might get lost in the noise, hence the automatic switch from "O" to "Zero"