2010+

Given the past usage of the Gregorian calendar years, what is it that can be expected in terms of pronunciation for years 2010 on?

In the year 1006 it was called "ten-oh-six", in 1999 it was called "nineteen-ninety-nine", and in 2001 it is called "two-thousand (and)-one".

In accordance with English linguistics, do you think that 2010 will be said as "twenty-ten" or "two-thousand (and)-ten"? I personally think that it will be "twenty-ten", but that "two-thousand-ten" will be in moderate usage for the latter part of 2009 and early 2010.

Folks seem to be nervous when referring to this year or years thereafter, in an interview regarding the New York City bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, a spokesman was noted to have referred to 2012 as "twenty-twelve", "two-thousand-twelve", "two-thousand-and-twelve", "two-twelve", and "the future" when she was at a loss for words. I think the transition from 31 December, 2009 to 1 January, 2010 will be difficult because of the connotations from referring to the 2009-2010 fiscal/school year, whereas it would come natural to say "the two-thousand-nine / two-thousand-ten school year", which would cause an onslaught of the usage of "two-thousand-ten".

Wonder what your views are about this and whether we should make the pronunciation switch at the end of the decade.

Cheers,

Bobbles.