this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2024
430 points (95.7% liked)

Showerthoughts

29786 readers
383 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. Avoid politics
    • 3.1) NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
    • 3.2) Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
    • 3.3) Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
(page 2) 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

I rarely even bother using 12 hour time any more.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

I hear these phrases(the romanian version) much more often than an exact time

This is also how i was taught time in english

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

Never saw the point. It doesn't save syllables, and people unaccustomed to it get confused

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

My internal clock runs on a circle... So if I am guessing or saying roughly the time I will use "quarter to", "ten past", etc. If it's an exact time I will say it to the minute, 6:43 etc.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago

I'm not sure. Anecdotal evidence, but when I was little, we learned how to read analog clocks, and all the "half past whatever" terminology. Actually, I think most of us in my class at that time primarily used analog clocks. Even then, we never used those sorts of phrases. We would just round to the nearest 5 minutes if anyone asked.

That's still what I do nowadays. Of course, there's phones and computers now that can tell you the time, but if I want a physical clock, I prefer to get an analog one. And I still just round to the nearest 5 minutes.

In my interpretation, those phrases fell out of favor a long time ago

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I don't get why, it's not like they aren't learning fractions these days right?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Because it's easier to use 5:15 or 5:30 when you get a digital readout. No one's counting every individual tick on an analog clock, so fractions make more sense in that case.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I still hear people talk about the top and bottom of the hour all the time.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I've never heard those phrases in person, only when spoken on TV or radio. Whereabouts you from?

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (5 children)

Since using AM and PM are essentially analogue standards, will people eventually stop saying "it's two o'clock" when they mean "the time is fourteen hundred"?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (5 children)

i dont know if you are joking or not, but i have all my clocks unironically on 24 hour time.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I think everybody puts too much emphasis on it being a strict generational thing while imo it's mostly a force of habit.

I'm on my early 20s, and used to take around 10 seconds to read an analog clock. Fully digital mind. Bought an analog wrist watch this summer and merely 1-2 months into wearing it I started understanding it instantaneously and all of "half past" type phrases click immediately now.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (3 children)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

I'm 46 and for as long as I can remember I've used "half past" and "quarter to" etc. Even during the years when I used a digital watch I transferred to do this now often than not. I'll use it with my Kuga as well and they understand and often do the same.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

It's becausee with digital clocks it's easier to just read the exact time which used to be less convenient. So. Reading digital clocks easy: Juat read what you see. Reading traditionap clocks easy: quarters and halves are a great way to simplify and fasten the time that it takes to tell what time it exactly is.

load more comments
view more: ‹ prev next ›