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Why do you say the letter "O" when you mean the digit "0"? (feddit.org)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Examples:

One oh two Main Street
Four oh seven PM
Biology one oh one
Eight six seven, five three oh nine
Four oh four: Not found

Not just a US thing, so I hope this is okay to ask here. I have just never encountered this is any language other than English. Is it simply that O and 0 look similar, and that "oh" has fewer syllables than "zero"? I have not heard a good explanation from coworkers who I've asked.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

Both. The letter 'O' and the number zero look similar, and it's half the syllables making it easier when reading out a string of numbers. Like how saying "World wide web" is less syllables to pronounce than "www".

[–] ilovededyoupiggy 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I usually pronounce www as "dub dub dub" if it is absolutely necessary to be spoken.

If that puts me on anyone's "to be punched" list, so be it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Is it okay if I say this?

j/k, I just really like that show and character:-)

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