Reply
Thu 20 May, 2004 12:26 am
Is it proper to say:
The meeting will be held at seven thirty o'clock.
I know that o'clock stands for "of the clock," so is it okay to say exact numbers within the hour?
I've only heard it used with a time ON the hour, like twelve o'clock or three o'clock, never three fifteen o'clock.
The usage goes back several hundred years to a time when the only clock in town was the church clock and only the very elaborate and up-to-date church clocks chimed anytime but the quarter hours.
A time such as 7:30 or 6:14 implies "o'clock".
Sorry, but English is not a logical language.
What Noddy said. "O'clock" is not neccessary to use these days, although it is still used, as you pointed out, for identifying time on the hour. Sure, it makes no sense really, but that's how it is.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace