Post by account_disabled on Dec 9, 2023 1:03:38 GMT -6
In a story you need to maintain coherence even in writing a date. It's part of the style we have, first of all. But it also depends on the type of story we are writing and the audience it is aimed at. I've seen several examples of dates in the novels I've read, usual and also unusual. One form among all attracted me, because so far I have only seen it used by one writer. Examples of dates May 16, 2013: it is the clearest and most immediate form used in fiction. 16/05/2013: it is a typically bureaucratic form. 16-5-2013: it is still a bureaucratic form.
May sixteenth two thousand and thirteen: an unusual form, but used. Dates in word form: Suttree's example In Cormac McCarthy's novel the dates are expressed in words. On the one hand this strengthens the Phone Number Data writer's style - McCarthy has demonstrated that he differs greatly from other authors, developing a unique and particular narrative style - and on the other it underlines the discursivity of the narration and dialogues. As if writing a number, in the middle of the story, could create a sort of obstacle to reading. So the date becomes May sixteenth two thousand and thirteen and is part of the flow of words. The numbers must be pronounced If you think about it, Cormac McCarthy is right: when we speak, when we read, we pronounce numbers.
The spelling “16” and “2013” is fine in mathematics, on a document, in a blog, but in fiction? We do not say "May 16, 2013", but "May sixteenth two thousand and thirteen". Our brain processes the number, the sign, recognizes it and translates it into words. Dates in the form of numbers: children's literature In books for children and teenagers I would avoid writing a date in the form of words, which is more suited to adult literature. A young audience finds it more immediate to read a number than a word, especially if it can become long, such as writing "In one thousand four hundred and forty-five". This makes writing 1445 easier to read.
May sixteenth two thousand and thirteen: an unusual form, but used. Dates in word form: Suttree's example In Cormac McCarthy's novel the dates are expressed in words. On the one hand this strengthens the Phone Number Data writer's style - McCarthy has demonstrated that he differs greatly from other authors, developing a unique and particular narrative style - and on the other it underlines the discursivity of the narration and dialogues. As if writing a number, in the middle of the story, could create a sort of obstacle to reading. So the date becomes May sixteenth two thousand and thirteen and is part of the flow of words. The numbers must be pronounced If you think about it, Cormac McCarthy is right: when we speak, when we read, we pronounce numbers.
The spelling “16” and “2013” is fine in mathematics, on a document, in a blog, but in fiction? We do not say "May 16, 2013", but "May sixteenth two thousand and thirteen". Our brain processes the number, the sign, recognizes it and translates it into words. Dates in the form of numbers: children's literature In books for children and teenagers I would avoid writing a date in the form of words, which is more suited to adult literature. A young audience finds it more immediate to read a number than a word, especially if it can become long, such as writing "In one thousand four hundred and forty-five". This makes writing 1445 easier to read.