One often sees confusion or feels confusion on this issue of how to label midday.
Yes, but it's quite surprising--and even more disappointing--to see such
confusion propagated in
CathInfo, where readers should be able to expect that members whose postings are intended as
corrections would
refer to
Latin, the sacred language of Roman Catholicism, when appropriate. As it is herein.
My reasoning tells me that 12 noon is one hour after 11 am and so should called 12am, but to be correct and avoid confusion I would say 12 am or 12 noon.
It doesn't become pm or afternoon untill after 12 am . 12.01 pm is one minute after 12 am or noon.
ArrrGH! NoooOOOOOO!Noon is exactly
"MERĪDIĒ" (m. ablative-of-time), contracted from
"MEDIŌ DIĒ", meaning
"midday", and properly abbreviated as
"M."--
no "A." and
no "P."! Awareness of this set the explicit U.S. federal standard until recently [†].
The familiar "
A." abbreviates the Latin preposition "
ANTE", meaning "before"; the familiar "
P." abbreviates the Latin preposition "
POST", meaning "after" (each preposition taking the
accusative case). Is it really necessary for me to point out that in any natural reckoning of time, "noon" is neither "before noon", nor "after noon"?
I think this is a case where common usage would take precedence over correctness! If you said 12 am, but really meant 12 noon ... people would think you were confused or just made a simple mistake!
A fine example of
nonsense in defense of
ignorance and
ambiguity! That which is
correct can be
looked up in a credible
prescriptive reference source. Whereas whatever are the most
common usages of the moment can't always be--perhaps to avoid propagating ignorance--and may change with each arriving generation. Maintaining & using that which is
correct is the simplest way toward preventing or eliminating
confusion when attempting to convey thoughts or ideas
accurately.
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Note †: The change away from straightforward Latin would fit the overt hostility to Western Civilization for which the Obama Administration was notorious (less so the Clinton Administration).
Topic: Spelling Challenge (Read 38811 times)