What's in a number?

A new year — and a new decade — is upon us. It’s the time of year for resolutions and fresh starts. Many agree a celebration of some sort is in order, but what year are we welcoming? Is today the first year of twenty-ten or two-thousand-ten?

The pronunciation of the new year has been subject to much debate, as experts, the general public and the media have failed to reach a consensus. Almost no one pronounced the year 2000 ‘twenty hundred,’ but the new decade has tempted many to revert back to a reliable pattern used before the turn of the millennium, when years were pronounced nineteen-ninety-nine and eighteen-oh-six.

One expert, David Crystal, who authored the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, has predicted a shift in the pronunciation but not until the calendar turns to 2011, adding that rhythm trumps logic in pronunciation.

But there are mixed signals wherever you look. Some commercials refer to new cars as twenty-ten, others two-thousand-ten. Sporting events have contributed to the confusion, as the 2010 and 2012 Olympic games have been referred to as twenty-ten and twenty-twelve, respectively.

Several West Texans interviewed on Thursday said they would likely say “two-thousand-ten” until persuaded to do otherwise.

“I’m going to say ‘two-thousand-ten’ but know that it’s cooler to say ‘twenty-ten’ and try to do that,” said Jeff Tyner of Midland.

Robert Martinez of Lubbock has made up his mind to say “two-thousand-ten.”

“I think it’s more natural,” he said on the last day of 2009. “I couldn’t think of saying it another way.”

John Simms, who moved to Odessa from Michigan, reasoned that most people would say “two thousand-ten” out of habit. “I’ve been saying ‘two-thousand’ for 10 years,” he said.

Pete Orona of Midland attributed some of the confusion to the popular movie “2012” (pronounced twenty-twelve).

“It depends on who you’re around,” he added. “If you’re around people who say, ‘twenty-ten, you’ll say that. It’s like anything else.”

Alfred Miears of Big Spring says he’ll be sticking with two-thousand-ten because “it has a good ring to it.”

Deputy Andrew Sanchez of the Crockett County Sheriff’s Office agreed.

“You don’t say twenty-oh-nine,” he said by phone Wednesday. “Two-thousand-ten is just natural. But I’ve heard twenty-ten on the radio.”

Natalie Zuniga of Kermit said she’ll say “two-thousand-ten” because “that’s the way you’re supposed to say it.”

Not everyone agreed. A man working security Thursday morning at the Ector County Courthouse insisted the year should be pronounced ‘twenty-ten,’ attributing his reasoning to the Bible.

“It’s been 2,000 years since Christ died, that’s why,” he said during a smoke break. Though he was firm in his convictions, he refused to give his name. “I can’t comment on things like that,” he said.

In the end, Orona said, the debate is kind of silly since we’re all living in the same year.

“It’s just numbers,” he said.