Pronunciation of route numbers

[bassoon1986]

I think in LA or TX the 4 digit routes are rarely spoken out unless the highway really has no other name. In Shreveport I hear equally "thirty one thirty two" or the Inner Loop.

Near me in Denton FM 2164 runs north-south from Denton to Sanger. I've heard a friend of mine from Sanger say "twenty one-sixty four." There's not another name for it until it's Locust St in Denton city limits.

[djsinco]

I am sure this is not particularly interesting, but FM 1960 in Houston is called, (not surprisingly,) "nineteen-sixty."

[jeffandnicole]

NJ/PA as well is Route (any number), as in Route 295, Route 80, Route 18, etc.

About the only time you don't hear it often is when referring to I-95, in which case it's simply "95".

Otherwise, unless someone has a fancy nickname for a route (ie: NJ 55 is the Double Nickel to some), the numbers are simply Fifty-Five, Ninety Five, Two Ninety Five, Eighteen, etc. 

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

Insofar as four digit routes in Louisiana are acknowledged by their numbers (most BR residents could never tell you that Siegen Lane is LA 3246, for example), they are generally pronounced as a pair of two digit numbers. So LA 1145 would be "eleven forty-five." Usually this is prefaced by "highway", or less often "LA."

This is more typical in rural areas. In cities the street name is generally used.

[english si]

How is it elsewhere?

In the UK, pretty similar.

A1 = a one
A13 = a thirteen
A43 = a forty-three
A123 = a one-two-three
A1230 = a twelve-thirty (note pairs)
A413 = a four-one-three
A410 = a four-ten
A404 = a four-o-four
A400 = a four hundred
A440 = a four-forty
A4000 = a four thousand
A4001 = a four thousand and one
A4004 = a forty-oh-four (I guess both types are used with the double-oh four digits, though not forty-oh-four)
A4011 = a forty-eleven (four digits typically pairs, though the pair is split into singles to avoid a umpty-ump formation)
A4200 = a four-two-hundred
A4201 = a four-two-oh-one
A4210 = a four-two-ten
A4221 = a four-two-two-one

I do find myself saying "oh ten" every once in a while- if I'm referring to an event that happened, I've heard myself say "back in oh ten"- "back in ten" sounds like something completely different, and "back in 2010" makes me feel like I'm talking about something a hundred years ago.

This side of the pond years went two-thousand, two-thousand-and-one, ... two-thousand-and-nine, two-thousand-ten / twenty-ten (both were popular, the former more so), twenty-eleven / two-thousand-eleven (both were popular, the former more so), twenty-twelve (universal thanks to it being bashed in our head since the 6th of July 2005, if not before). The BBC, in about 2006, tried making it so references to the naughties years go 'two-thousand, twenty-one, twenty-two...' it wasn't liked, though the 'two-thousand-and-' formation (with or without the 'and') is dying, replaced with a 'twenty-oh-' formation. 'Twenty-x' is used by a couple of big name BBC presenters and it always jars: Paxman on University Challenge is worst "in twenty-six, what person started being a massive cock and give the years confusing numbers?" "are we talking 1926, or 206, or 26 or what?" "did they not teach you to count at school?" "thankfully I had a different teacher to you, or I wouldn't have got into university you patronising muppet" (OK, that's how I wish it should go - when one of the contestants answers back at Paxman's rant that these students didn't know some obscure 60s/classics/literature reference, its newsworthy).

In about 03 we stopped saying 'two-thousand' all the time when saying the year and just made it 'oh-nine' or whatever. We don't do that with this decade though - it's still 'back in twenty-eleven' rather than 'back in eleven'. Hence 'twenty-twelve' Olympics, rather than just 'twelve' (cf Atlanta '96). I think this happens every century (the Titanic sunk in nineteen-eleven, not eleven - though in the nineteen-ohs they were happy to call the years nineteen-one from the bat).

[theline]

I think I read somewhere that the linguistic experts said that the proper way to pronounce the years of the last decade was "twenty oh X," as in "twenty oh four."  And 2010 is pronounced "twenty ten," which is the pattern the rest of the century will follow.  But in the middle part of the last century, early years were pronounced as "nineteen two" or "nineteen four."  I'm not sure what changed or if there even is a "correct" way to say it.

I grew up in the middle of the 20th century, and I never heard anyone pronounce the early years of the century as "nineteen two" or "nineteen four."  Most said "nineteen oh two" or "nineteen oh four."  Some very old folks, or ones trying to imitate old folks might say "nineteen aught two" or "nineteen aught four."

[agentsteel53]

I grew up in the middle of the 20th century, and I never heard anyone pronounce the early years of the century as "nineteen two" or "nineteen four."  Most said "nineteen oh two" or "nineteen oh four."  Some very old folks, or ones trying to imitate old folks might say "nineteen aught two" or "nineteen aught four."

I was watching a movie the other day, and it included a film clip recorded in the 1940s or so.  the narrator said "nineteen five".  I remember thinking that to be very odd, and possibly the first time I had ever heard such a thing.

the movie, btw, is Bombay Beach.  the clip is very near the beginning.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1758576/

[corco]

I knew my great-great aunt very well when I was younger, who was born in 1906- she'd say "Nineteen and six" to refer to her year of birth

[1995hoo]

I've heard some people refer to 200x years in the form "two oh seven," "two oh eight," etc., but always in situations where the context was clear (example: "We had a strong year in two thousand six, but two oh seven wasn't as good.").

I've also heard some people say "oh ten" in reference to 2010, but usually when they do it they're referring to another year as well, such as the "oh nine/oh ten season" when referring to hockey.

[roadman]

Here in Massachusetts, route numbers are pronounced as "nine", "ninety-five", "one-twenty-eight", "four-ninety-five", etc.

I've never heard the "Interstate" prefix used, either by traffic reporters or in general conservation, in this area, but I've heard the "I" prefix ocassionally used in general conservation.  Traffic reporters use "Route" to describe any numbered route, be it Interstate, US, or state.

However, use of the "Route" prefix is inconsistent.  Traffic reporters will use it some of the time - usually referring to some roads with the prefix and referring to others without the prefix within the same report.  As for general conservation, it's about a 50-50 split.

Personally, when giving directions and in casual conservation, I almost always refer to Interstate routes as "I", and all other routes as "Route".

The only time I've ever heard a route number "spelled-out" - apart from Sarah (my GPS unit), who calls Route 128 "Highway One-Hundred-Twenty-Eight", in the Boston area is when routes are referenced in local National Weather Service broadcasts (i.e. "Interstate Four-Hundred-Ninety-Five").

[Scott5114]

The only time I've ever heard a route number "spelled-out" - apart from Sarah (my GPS unit), who calls Route 128 "Highway One-Hundred-Twenty-Eight", in the Boston area is when routes are referenced in local National Weather Service broadcasts (i.e. "Interstate Four-Hundred-Ninety-Five").

Same reason, too–NWS broadcasts are generated with text-to-speech software.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Now that I think of it, in French Canada, the rules are similar and different at the same time.
0-99 = normal. (quinze [fifteen], quarante [fourty], soixante-treize [seventy-three])
100-199 = normal, too. (cent-un [one hundred and one], cent dix-sept [oen hundred and seventeen], cent soixante-quinze [one hundred and seventy-five])
Zero middle digit = normal. (deux cent deux [two hundred and two], quatre cent un [four hundred and one])

The last two rules are probably this way because "cent" is just one syllable.

Other 3-digit routes: Varies between normal and separate hundreds+rest. It seems to depend on the person. (One person will say "trois trente-cinq" [three thirty five] and the other will say "trois cent trente-cinq" [three hundred and thirty five])

[hbelkins]

Now that I think of it, in Alanland, the rules are similar and different at the same time.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Ontario pronounces its route numbers as Dr Frank says, one distinction is that a freeway route is usually prefaced by "the"

so it's "the four-oh-one", "the four-hundred" or "the one-fifteen".

For at-grade roads its "Highway 7" or "Highway 2".

[route29]

People here in Wichita do things a little differently.

In the rest of the country, people would pronounce 135 as "one-thirty-five".
Here, however, they pronounce 135 as "eye-thirty-five".
I-35, on the other hand, they pronounce as "the turnpike".

   

I wonder if that's a holdover from when I-135 used to be I-35W.

BTW, what is the accepted way of pronouncing suffixed routes?  Thirty-five double-you, seventy enn, etc?

[NE2]

Thirty-one dub.

[kphoger]

Personally, when giving directions and in casual conservation, I almost always refer to Interstate routes as "I", and all other routes as "Route".

I give directions over the phone pretty much every day at work.  I usually say "route" for a state route (outside Kansas, for which I say "K-"); "highway" for a US highway; and "I-" for an interstate.  For county roads, I say "county road".  When I'm in Texas, I identify FM roads as "farm road".

Examples:

Take Route 59 from Gentry to Decatur.  (I don't know how they're referred to in Arkansas.)

Turn left on Highway 71 Business to Lowell.  (I believe it's just called "71 Business", "Old 71", or even just "71" in Arkansas.)

It's near I-80 and 60th Street in Omaha.  (I don't know how it's referred to in Nebraska; incidentally, I usually omit the I- for the 3dis such as 580.)

Turn right on Broyles Street in Farmington, which is also County Road 648.  (I believe they're referred to as "highways" in Arkansas, but I'm not sure.)

Take County Road 8 from Waverly to I-94.  (In Minnesota, this would be called "County 8", "Wright County 8", or even "Wright 8", although the latter is more common with multi-syllable county names.)

At Pearsall, take exit 101, which is Farm Road 140.  (I'm not sure how they're referred to in Texas.)

[US81]

"Thirty-five Ee or Thirty-five Dubya"

[corco]

I always call interstates "I"

I've noticed that when I'm giving directions to people who are familiar with an area, I omit prefixes entirely ("Take 55 up to 95 up to 12") but if I'm not I use the word highway for state highway and US for US routes ("Take Highway 55 to US 95 north to US 12 east")

[sp_redelectric]

In Oregon people will look at you funny if you say "route".  It's "Highway Two-Seventeen", "Highway Two-Twenty Four", "Highway Ninety-Nine West (or East)", "U. S. Twenty-Six" (or "The Sunset Highway"), and the Interstates are with the "I" ("Eye Five", "Eye Two Oh Five", "Eye Four Oh Five", "Eye Eight-Four" (or "The Banfield")).

But if you use "Highway Eight", "Highway Ten", "Highway Two-Ten", don't expect anyone to know what you're talking about.  It's "T.V. Highway", "Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway" or "Farmington Road" (depending on whether you're east or west of downtown Beaverton), "Scholls Ferry Road"...

If you're referring to state highways in Washington it's OK to either call them "Highway" or "S.R." (short for 'state route', but this phrase seems to be going away by everyone including WSDOT).  For example, "S.R. Fourteen", "S.R. Five-Hundred")

[corco]

I've noticed listening to Portland traffic reports that that's how they usually differentiate highways on the Oregon side from the Washington side- on the Oregon side it's usually either name or number, but Washington is always SR xx.

I haven't heard the SR pronunciation as often once you get outside of Portland/Vancouver- it's still there, but not everybody uses it. I've heard plenty of people call it "Highway 512" for example.

[A.J. Bertin]

Regarding the pronunciation of years starting with 2010 ... I'm a stickler about saying "twenty ten", "twenty eleven", and so on. I had a phase in the '00s (I pronounce that decade "the zeroes") when I would say things like "zero-six" instead of "oh-six" to describe something that happened in '06 for instance. Since then, I've just gotten into saying things like "oh-three" if I don't feel like saying "two thousand three". I never got into saying "twenty-oh-five" or "twenty-zero-five".

[Laura]

You can always tell when producers of TV shows and movies are unfamiliar with the east coast or when a traffic report is done outside of the local area - people out here do not say "the" in front of freeway names. "Traffic is backed up on the I-95" said no one ever.

Traffic backed up on 95, or on I-95, or the JFK, sure. (I feel like the JFK is rare though - probably encouraged by a radio station).

• Interstates are usually by number, although there's the occasional name (like the JFX - for Jones Falls Expressway - for the part of I-83 south of the beltway).
  Toll roads are by name (example: The ICC)
  US highways are by name or number. US 1 - Belair Road (pronounced Blair or Buh-lair). US 40 around Baltimore is 40 West or 40 East, depending on which side of the city you are.
  Boulevards and Parkways are usually referenced by name (BW Pkwy, MLK, Perring)
  State routes are either by number or name. More likely by name if they are less significant.

[WillWeaverRVA]

You can always tell when producers of TV shows and movies are unfamiliar with the east coast or when a traffic report is done outside of the local area - people out here do not say "the" in front of freeway names. "Traffic is backed up on the I-95" said no one ever.

Traffic backed up on 95, or on I-95, or the JFK, sure. (I feel like the JFK is rare though - probably encouraged by a radio station).

• Interstates are usually by number, although there's the occasional name (like the JFX - for Jones Falls Expressway - for the part of I-83 south of the beltway).
  Toll roads are by name (example: The ICC)
  US highways are by name or number. US 1 - Belair Road (pronounced Blair or Buh-lair). US 40 around Baltimore is 40 West or 40 East, depending on which side of the city you are.
  Boulevards and Parkways are usually referenced by name (BW Pkwy, MLK, Perring)
  State routes are either by number or name. More likely by name if they are less significant.

I have heard someone say "the 495" before. I wanted to throw the radio out the window.

[huskeroadgeek]

In Oregon people will look at you funny if you say "route".  It's "Highway Two-Seventeen", "Highway Two-Twenty Four", "Highway Ninety-Nine West (or East)", "U. S. Twenty-Six" (or "The Sunset Highway"), and the Interstates are with the "I" ("Eye Five", "Eye Two Oh Five", "Eye Four Oh Five", "Eye Eight-Four" (or "The Banfield")).

The use of "route" or "highway" seems to me to be mostly an east-west split. I don't know of any particular place where it changes, but in general, the further east you go you hear "route" more often and the further west you go you hear "highway" more often. I know here in Nebraska and the middle of the country in general, "highway" is definitely preferred. You will always hear "Highway X" instead of "Route X". "Route" still is used for the totality of the roads you take to get somewhere, like "which route are you taking?"