What is it called when people, e.g. computer programmers, pronounce, say, 65,536 as 'sixty-five, five, thirty-six' i.e. omitting 'thousands' etc?

Question

I heard on ELU that computer programmers often pronounce long numbers like that. What is that method of saying the numbers called? How common is it? What is the point of it? What are the pros and cons of it?

65,536 was pronounced 'sixty-five, five, thirty-six'.

Source: "In computing contexts, we frequently read out large numbers with the "units" omitted. For example, 65,536 is read as "sixty-five, five, thirty-six", which is an abbreviation of "sixty-five thousand" five hundred thirty-six". – Canadian Yankee Apr 1 at 18:19"

Here: How do I say whether or not a number was pronounced like a telephone number (or zip code). Are there words for this?

Here's corroboration: "I find it really hard to imagine anyone saying "two-five-six-K" to me in speech, and if anyone did, I'm sure I would give them a mildly alarmed look. "Two-fifty-six-K" is very different, because that's a common alternative to "two hundred and fifty-six" (and I should have noted that in my first comment!) – Yee-Lum Dec 14 '15 at 17:22"

Here:Saying a number digit by digit

I'm a computer programmer and I've never pronounced a long number like that. If it's meant to be a numeric value, I'd say it as three hundred and twenty four billion, twenty two million, five thousand, seven hundred and seventy seven. If it was something like an id number, I'd say three two four oh two two oh oh five seven seven seven. Pronounced as you've written it would be missing important information contained in the zeros. — KillingTime, Apr 04 '21 at 07:57
If the groups in the title were separated by dots rather than commas the number could be an IP address. IP addresses are read out either like that or digit by digit. Saying "twenty two" for the second part of that number would be confusing except in contexts like IP addresses. — BoldBen, Apr 04 '21 at 09:19
In your later example I'm used to six five five three six. In your former, the word I'd use, honestly, is "nonsense" because without stating the zeroes it is. — Chris H, Apr 04 '21 at 17:52
@AndrewLeach https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/564093/how-do-i-say-whether-or-not-a-number-was-pronounced-like-a-telephone-number-or?noredirect=1&lq=1 — Matthew Christopher Bartsh, Apr 05 '21 at 02:52
@AndrewLeach Good call BTW. I have edited the question accordingly. — Matthew Christopher Bartsh, Apr 05 '21 at 02:59
Thanks for the reference. The answer there, *chunking,* appears to answer this question. Could you add to your question to explain why that isn't the answer? (I believe you are wrong with your chunking in the question title, by the way: zeros are absolutely crucial, in the same way as in phone numbers.) — Andrew Leach, Apr 05 '21 at 06:52
@AndrewLeach I don't understand. Could you replace the word 'this' etc. with what you are referring to. — Matthew Christopher Bartsh, Apr 05 '21 at 07:49
Well, "this question" is this one, your question. Your question here appears to have its answer at/on the one you have linked to. That is, the question you have referred to actually supplies the answer you want: chunking. — Andrew Leach, Apr 05 '21 at 08:10
@AndrewLeach Still unclear. Please replace 'this' and all other nonspecific terms with the names of what they stand in for. — Matthew Christopher Bartsh, Apr 05 '21 at 08:19
I can't replace this because it is specific. It means this question, the one with the title "What is it called when people, eg computer programmers, pronounce, say, 65536 as 'sixty-five, five, thirty-six' ie with the units omitted?" This question, your question here, is answered by an answer given at the other question, the one you linked to. — Andrew Leach, Apr 05 '21 at 08:33
Does this answer your question? How do I say whether or not a number was pronounced like a telephone number (or zip code). Are there words for this? — Edwin Ashworth, Apr 05 '21 at 11:19
No it does not answer my question. My I suggest that you read the comments before adding your own? — Matthew Christopher Bartsh, Apr 06 '21 at 06:11
@Yee-Lum Would you care to answer or comment on this question? — Matthew Christopher Bartsh, Apr 06 '21 at 06:12

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 15 '21 at 11:47

It comes down to individual lethargy and scheduling perception. It would make sense to say the individual digits rather than the larger alternative form even though they are both read in the same direction. It would save a few seconds to exclude the suffix eg. thousands or thousandth. It's quite a mouthful when you get up to the millions and billions if you are behind schedule.

As a tradesman who is upgrading I can certainly say this saves a lot of time at the end of a shift when having to fabricate a few hundred pieces daily. If you are reading out a measurement for an apprentice to "fab" while you, the journeyman, continues the installation or construction process. Something as simple as 23" ⅛" can be read as "twenty-three and an eighth", "twenty-three and one-eighth" or "Twenty-three inches and ⅛ of an inch" where the former phrases are a few words shorter for the same amount of information.

It comes down to familiarity with the job at some point, therefore those who are also in a similar role will understand even without those details. You would save quite a bit of time.

What is it called when people, e.g. computer programmers, pronounce, say, 65,536 as 'sixty-five, five, thirty-six' i.e. omitting 'thousands' etc?

1 Answers1