I grew up using the word "of" to denote "minutes before" when explaining time. Is this a regional expression (NY) or just something wrong?
2006-10-19 01:26:06 · 17 answers · asked by mezzaninedam 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
lol
Sure you can. It might confuse some folks, but when the denoter of minutes past the hour is "past", then ultimately "ten to" or "ten of" are likely to be understood as meaning "ten minutes before".
Must admit, as a Brit, when my wife (who's also from New York State, supporting the possible regional origin of the phrase) said "ten of" and "quarter of" I blinked a little to make sure I'd heard her right, but it quickly became just a natural part of language, and as I say, I think the majority of people would understand the meaning.
2006-10-19 01:32:27 · answer #1 · answered by mdfalco71 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OFF-in. Do you say MOIS-ten or LIS-ten or SOF-ten? The "T" is silent, and to pronounce it is mostly a variety of hypercorrection or something there is no be conscious for yet which will be defined as "ridiculous delight in having the flexibility to ascertain only sufficient to carry close that the 'T' is there and not in any respect desirous to enable that information flow to waste, stupidly supposing that those who pronounce the 'T' are extra literate." for sure, there are dialects the position the "T" has continually been suggested, yet wide-spread American English does no longer pronounce the "T".
2016-12-05 00:04:12 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I grew up in New York...and have always said ten of...or 5 of. Maybe it is a New York thing because I have lived in other parts of the US, as well as England and Ireland...and I always got strange looks when I would say that. Everyone always corrected me and said it was ten to or 5 to.
2006-10-19 01:35:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, 10 TO 7
2006-10-19 01:35:54 · answer #4 · answered by No-ni-nu 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In India it is 10 to 7.
10 O' 7 would mean seven past ten.
2006-10-19 03:20:30 · answer #5 · answered by Ashok Pipal (India) 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I grew up hearing/using that expression, too. But I grew up in Philadelphia, so it still could be regional.
2006-10-19 01:31:41 · answer #6 · answered by Let Me Think 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can say that and it is not regional. It is just not the common way of telling the time.
2006-10-19 03:35:34 · answer #7 · answered by tiuliucci 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course you can say it. But I'm from NY too. Who makes the rules? Say it any way you want. As far as I know, it's a legit phrase.
2006-10-19 01:31:06 · answer #8 · answered by CrankyYankee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can say that. Doesn't mean the dolt you've answered will understand. Amazing how many children I know who are surprised I can read a clock with no numbers and no digital display.
2006-10-19 01:29:52 · answer #9 · answered by auld mom 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're correct. ten of seven, ten to seven, six fifty, all correct.
I Cr 13;8a
10-19-6
2006-10-19 01:30:01 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋