Language exchange and reading years

Question

Hello everyone! My name is Mila, I'm from Argentina and I'd like to improve my English. If anyone here wants to practice their Spanish, feel free to send me a message. We can either chat or send audio messages to each other (I prefer audio messages for the time being, I'm not comfortable with making calls yet). I use WhatsApp, Skype, Speaky, Kik, etc - you name it, I probably have it haha.

I'd also like to use this thread to ask a question. When you are reading a text out loud and you read something like:

"... it happened in 1200 BC..."

How do you read it? Do you say "in the year one thousand and two hundred before Christ"? Or do you say BC? Is saying twelve hundred common?

Thanks

welcome to the forum, :) - 006595c6, Sep 24, 2017

Answer 1

Welcome to the forum. I would read it as twelve hundred Bee Cee or the twelfth century BC.

BC stands for 'before christ' but I would consider reading it in full to be very formal.

I'm from the UK there may be other views.

Thanks for your input! - Milah, Sep 24, 2017

:) - ian-hill, Sep 24, 2017

Gracias - Mardle, Sep 24, 2017

Answer 2

Hello, and welcome.
I'm a native speaker of US English.
In my world, "twelve hundred" is much much much more common than "one thousand two hundred."
Unlike Mardle, I would not consider saying "before Christ," but only "bee cee."
And if the written text doesn't say "in the year," I would not add it.
By the way, your English is fantastic!

I wouldn't use before christ, but assume there may be a very formal occasion where it would be read. I cannot think of one. I would use twelve hundred for preference. - Mardle, Sep 24, 2017

Thank you! I find it weird if I don't say "in the year" but maybe that is just my Spanish brain haha! - Milah, Sep 24, 2017

Answer 3

HI MIlah, why don't you open a seperate thread for the interchange issue?

this thread will go under with answer to the reading year question.

Bienvenida a SD

Sure, I will! But maybe some other day because I don't want it to look like I'm spamming. Thanks for the welcoming :)! - Milah, Sep 24, 2017