Reading of years


Years (Gregorian) can be read out in English:

> **A** – two digits at a time;  
>  **B** – each digit separately;  
>  **C** – full reading of the number.

For example:

> 2012:
>
>   * "Twenty twelve";
>   * "Two zero one two";
>   * "Two thousand (and) twelve".
>

>
> 1988:
>
>   * "Nineteen eighty-eight";
>   * "One nine eight eight";
>   * "One thousand nine hundred (and) eighty-eight" (Slightly awkward
> sounding?).
>

**I have two questions:**

  1. Can A, B and C work for Japanese too? I.e.

> 1988年:
>
>     * "じゅうきゅう はちじゅうはち ねん";
>     * "いち きゅう はち はち ねん" (or "ひ ここの や や ねん" ?);
>     * "いっせん きゅうひゃく はちじゅう はち ねん".

If the above are not suitable, then what would be the proper way?

  2. What (and how strong) is the preference for the type of reading for years in Japan? In Gregorian years or in the format of Japanese-Era + Year number?




In Japanese, four-digit Gregorian years are read only as single numbers.
Therefore, 1988年 is せんきゅうひゃくはちじゅうはちねん. Reading the number 1988 as
いっせんきゅうひゃくはちじゅうはち (and therefore reading 1988年 as いっせんきゅうひゃくはちじゅうはちねん) with
いっせん instead of せん is acceptable but I think that it is non-standard. Neither
“じゅうきゅう はちじゅうはちねん” nor “いち きゅう はち はちねん” is correct. The latter might be
understandable, but I would be surprised if a native speaker understands
“じゅうきゅう はちじゅうはちねん” as the year 1988.

As in English, years are sometimes abbreviated by omitting the first two
digits when they are obvious. If someone says 88年 in the contemporary context,
it must mean the year 1988. In this case, 88年 is read as はちじゅうはちねん.

> Q2. What(and how strong) is the preference for the type of reading for years
> in Japan? In Gregorian years or in the format of Japanese-Era + Year number?

It is mostly the matter of style and personal taste. Sometimes Gregorian years
are used because they are more convenient for calculation, and sometimes
Japanese years are used by tradition (as in many official documents issued by
government).




In Japanese, four-digit Gregorian years are read only as single numbers.
Therefore, 1988年 is せんきゅうひゃくはちじゅうはちねん. Reading the number 1988 as
いっせんきゅうひゃくはちじゅうはち (and therefore reading 1988年 as いっせんきゅうひゃくはちじゅうはちねん) with
いっせん instead of せん is acceptable but I think that it is non-standard. Neither
“じゅうきゅう はちじゅうはちねん” nor “いち きゅう はち はちねん” is correct. The latter might be
understandable, but I would be surprised if a native speaker understands
“じゅうきゅう はちじゅうはちねん” as the year 1988.

As in English, years are sometimes abbreviated by omitting the first two
digits when they are obvious. If someone says 88年 in the contemporary context,
it must mean the year 1988. In this case, 88年 is read as はちじゅうはちねん.

> Q2. What(and how strong) is the preference for the type of reading for years
> in Japan? In Gregorian years or in the format of Japanese-Era + Year number?

It is mostly the matter of style and personal taste. Sometimes Gregorian years
are used because they are more convenient for calculation, and sometimes
Japanese years are used by tradition (as in many official documents issued by
government).

