Dates in the 1900s - mil nueve...?

Question

Having looked through previous discussions on the topic, clearly the common method of reading dates in the 1900s is "mil novecientos...". However, in the read-to-me version of this book

(thanks for the link, KiwiGirl), the narrator says "mil nueve noventa y cinco" for 1995 (in "About the author" on the last page).

Are "mil nueve"/ "mil ocho"/ etc used as informal ways of reading dates? Are they regional variations? Or was this a one-time occurrence by a silly narrator who can't speak her own language properly?

Yes, the narrator is argentinian. - LuisCache, Nov 10, 2011

Answer 1

I have heard that some argentinians say "mil nueve noventa y..." (199...), instead of "mil novecientos noventa y...".

Ah, so it is a regional thing. Thanks for the info! - RosaVerde, Nov 10, 2011

Answer 2

It doesn't seem to be a common format if you go by google hits.

Hmm, true. 'Novecientos' it is, then! Thanks. =) - RosaVerde, Nov 10, 2011

Answer 3

It's a way to shorten it. I use it all the time. It's probably local.

Interesting. Thanks for the feedback, Guillermo! - RosaVerde, Nov 10, 2011

Answer 4

the narrator says "mil nueve noventa y cinco" for 1995

What's being said is "One thousand, nine, ninety five," which doesn't make any sense to me. If it's not a regional thing, then it's a mistake. I have never heard a year spoken this way either.

Got it! I think I'll definitely stick with 'novecientos,' then. Thanks! - RosaVerde, Nov 10, 2011