Do you use "oh" or "zero" to say the number '0' ?

[Tap]

:lurk5: just curious

[Hillary in KS]

Zero. "O" is a letter.

[beansprouts]

Zero. "O" is a letter.

 

:iagree:

[cathmom]

depends, sometimes one, sometimes the other

[Lolly]

I use both. Just depends on my mood.

[Laurel]

Zero. "O" is a letter.

 

:iagree:

[Chelle in MO]

I use "zero" for the number and "oh" for the letter. It's a minor pet peeve of mine when others don't! And yes, I have so many pet peeves that I have to have categories--ha! Just ask my husband. Actually, he was the one who got me straightened out on the "o" / "zero" thing years ago.

[Guest Katia]

Well, I say "zero" since "o" is a letter, not a numeral.

 

My dh always says "o".

 

However, my dad says "aught".

[Kris]

depends, sometimes one, sometimes the other

 

Same here. I know that zero is a number and "oh" is a letter, but it depends on who I'm talking to and what the situation is.

[kewb]

I use both. I try to be consistent and use zero but sometimes I slip.

[Grubbsfamily]

Zero. "O" is a letter.

 

When I was younger and unmarried it didn't much matter to me, then I married my husband who is in the military and it mattered! Now I am a stickler about saying what is correct. Isn't it funny how we change to be like those we associate with the most!

[stripe]

I use both.

 

Out of curiosity -- how do you say "It's 2:05 pm"?

[Chelle in MO]

When I was younger and unmarried it didn't much matter to me, then I married my husband who is in the military and it mattered! Now I am a stickler about saying what is correct. Isn't it funny how we change to be like those we associate with the most!

I'm sure mine was because of my husband's military experience, too. We were in your neck of the woods, Cheryl--Mather AFB--in the late 80s.

 

Chelle

[TN Mama]

I find that I use both unless I'm giving out my phone number or address, both of which include 0 and in that case I always say zero.

[cathmom]

I don't say "0" in my address - I say "70"

 

You know, in the book Outliers, he talks about how it is faster to say numbers in Asian languages, and this may be one factor in their excellence in math. So, one could argue that saying "o" for zero is positive because it's shorter.

[nukeswife]

I use both.

 

Out of curiosity -- how do you say "It's 2:05 pm"?

 

I would say "It's fourteen, oh five" because we use military time here. My dd is just learning and my older son was trying to explain to her 1pm and onward in military time. Poor girl she was so confused LOL

 

I guess that's a hard thing becasue my dh is military too and most times I say zero, but when it comes to time that's a different thing. Like if someone asks what time I get up in the morning I'd say at "Oh nine hundred hours"

[elegantlion]

I use both. Just depends on my mood.

 

I'm moody too, wait that wasn't the question. I worked in retail for so long, reading credit card number, yada, yada, I generally say zero. However in casual conversation I can say "oh"

[CactusPair]

I always say zero, but most people I talk to on the phone, etc. say "oh".

[Tree House Academy]

I have been known to say both (being from the South and all), but I do try to say "zero" 99% of the time. Now, for time...like 2:05 that is "two oh five." Never zero. That would be totally weird.

[Jean in Newcastle]

depends, sometimes one, sometimes the other

 

:iagree: Some of it depends on if it is a telephone number or not. If I do use "oh" then it is always when saying a telephone number.

[Nestof3]

Both.

 

I say 7: oh 5 for the time instead of 7: zero 5

 

Most often with phone numbers and addresses I say "oh" because it's faster.

 

When the number is by itself, obviously I say "zero."

 

It looks like most people use the word "zero", but I have NEVER heard anyone say "The time is 7 - zero -8.

[Laura Corin]

I think 'Oh' is more common in the UK.

 

Laura

[Jumping In Puddles]

I say both.

 

Like others, when I am talking about time, I say "oh".

 

When I'm giving credit card info, account info, etc., I use Zero.

 

When I'm saying my area code, I say "oh". 2 oh 1 area code sounds normal to me, flows better and is quicker than 2 zero 1.

 

Same with zip code. 90210 sounds strange as 9 zero 2 1 zero. So does NJ zips... 07450 sounds weird to me with zero's.

 

When I'm teaching my son math, and he learned to write his hundreds, we say 5, zero, zero.

Edited January 11, 2009 by Jumping In Puddles

[JudoMom]

I say zero for everything except time.

[Haiku]

Zero. "Oh" is a letter.

 

Tara

[Pamela H in Texas]

I say both, depending, but I don't have a rule to it. I guess it's whatever sounds right/is clearer in the moment.

[Blessedfamily]

I say zero for everything except time.

 

Me too.

 

.....However, my dad says "aught".

 

On the Beverly Hillbillies, they say "naught"- as in James Bond, "double naught seven" (007)

 

 

 

 

I knew that knowledge would just expand your mind in all directions.:001_smile:

[Carrie12345]

Almost always "oh". I grew up in an area with 2 main telephone prefixes, and one of them was "x-x-oh". Not a single person said "x-x-zero", so it would sound funny to me now.

 

My house number is 6061 (not sixes, but close enough) and we say "sixty-sixty-one", not "six-zero-six-one" or "six-oh-six-one".

[dirty ethel rackham]

It depends. In more casual use, I use 'oh'. In business use, I use 'zero.' When dealing with an alphanumeric code, obviously, I use 'zero'. When giving addresses, I often use 'oh' because it makes a catchier, easy to remember cadence.

[Elm in NJ]

When I was in England, I'd say 'oh'. Now I say 'zero'. It is the same with 'double' or 'triple' numbers. When I was in England, I'd say 'double 2' 4 9 for a phone number, for example. Now, I say 2249 or 22249, not 'triple 2' 49.

Clear?

[3lilreds in NC]

I use them both, probably because I'm lazy :D, but I do try to be consistent with zero for the kids so they understand what I'm talking about. One of mine in particular is quite literal and would definitely say "but you said 'oh' and that's a letter, not a number!" :lol:

[Nestof3]

Those of you who say only "zero" because "oh" is a letter, how would you say 9:08?

[Carrie12345]

 

When I'm saying my area code, I say "oh". 2 oh 1 area code sounds normal to me, flows better and is quicker than 2 zero 1.

 

Same with zip code. 90210 sounds strange as 9 zero 2 1 zero. So does NJ zips... 07450 sounds weird to me with zero's.

 

 

Yup. My NJ zip code started with 'oh' and my PA zip code ends in 'oh'. It just *is*, and that's that! ;)

[Peek a Boo]

I say both.

 

Like others, when I am talking about time, I say "oh".

 

When I'm giving credit card info, account info, etc., I use Zero.

 

When I'm saying my area code, I say "oh". 2 oh 1 area code sounds normal to me, flows better and is quicker than 2 zero 1.

 

Same with zip code. 90210 sounds strange as 9 zero 2 1 zero. So does NJ zips... 07450 sounds weird to me with zero's.

 

When I'm teaching my son math, and he learned to write his hundreds, we say 5, zero, zero.

 

This is me too. especially the last line. Once it has been established that ZERO is the number, we can introduce changes in communicating that specific numeral orally :D

 

If we've already established that we are discussing a string of numerals, then saying 'o' is simply faster. For confirmation codes, passwords, etc where numerals and letters may be mixed, I tend to say zero. You could even argue that saying "oh"

is really an abbreviated form of saying "zer-o".......

 

so i picked 'other' not necessarily cuz i don't want to fit in a box ;), but because we use both :)

[Jumping In Puddles]

Those of you who say only "zero" because "oh" is a letter, how would you say 9:08?

 

maybe 8 past nine? :lol: I would probably double take if I asked someone the time and they said "nine zero eight" :001_huh:

 

Come to think of it... I'll start a new poll! :) Here it is!

Edited January 11, 2009 by Jumping In Puddles

[kalanamak]

You forgot the "both" category.

[mcconnellboys]

I actually use both, interchangeably....

[jamnkats]

both, depending on the circumstances

[E_Edgerton]

I use both as well. If I am giving a phone number I use 'oh' but if I am doing math problems or giving a total I say 'zero'

[FO4UR]

I say zero unless I'm listing a long string of numbers. I always use zero with my dc.

[SnowWhite]

I say "oh" occasionally for a date, like 1908 or sometimes in addresses (208 would be two oh eight). Otherwise it's zero.

[lionfamily1999]

Both, depends on the situation. When giving a phone number or address, I say 'oh.' However, when doing math with the kids (or number recognition), we say 'zero.'

[danybug]

:iagree:

[Just Me]

depends on if I am reciting a phone number, or helping with a math problem.

 

Ex - 55(oh)-7842

 

versus

 

25 x (zero) = (zero)

 

I am a plethora of variables!

[hsmomof2boys]

On occasion, I find myself using both "oh" and zero, but I would like to use "zero" so I don't confuse my children!

[homeschoolmomtutu]

From:http://home.ubalt.edu/ntsbarsh/zero/ZERO.HTM Zero is "not there"

 

Judging from the treatment accorded to the concept of zero, we do practice a variety of avoidance mechanisms rather than confront the imagery associated with this seemingly difficult concept.

In reciting one's telephone number, social security number, postal zip code or post office box, room number, street number or any of a variety of other numeric nominals, we carefully avoid pronouncing the digit "zero" and instead substitute "oh." One may say "it is caused by our desire to communicate quickly, if we can say the same thing in one syllable, why not?" What about number seven, should we find a substitute for this too?

In some parts of the world, the phrasing "naught" and "aught" are used but it is quite uncommon to hear "zero." All the other digits are correctly enunciated with this one curious exception. However, in the US Army there is an additional curious habit of saying "duece" instead of "two". For example, the M102 105mm Artillery Cannon is called a "One oh Duece" (notice the "oh" therein).

Is the presence of nothing (reflecting non-existence) different from the absence of something (reflecting non-availability) or the absence of anything (reflecting non-existence)? Zero is a symbol for "not there" which is different from "nothing" "Not there" reflects that the number or item(s) exists but they are not just available. "Nothing" reflects nonexistence.

continued....http://home.ubalt.edu/ntsbarsh/zero/ZERO.HTM

[angela in ohio]

I use "zero" for the number and "oh" for the letter. It's a minor pet peeve of mine when others don't! And yes, I have so many pet peeves that I have to have categories--ha!

 

 

What she said...

[Christine]

Zero.

 

Army trained.