"Five of Nine" equals what time?

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manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: CZroe
I think it's just her and no one else talks like that

Everyone in NJ uses that idiom. When I went to college in Indiana, some people were confused by it. They all say "quarter till __"

This

I hear it all the time. Mugs and I live(d) in the same area so it makes sense.

In fact, I've never heard someone use "till". I use five of nine. 10 of nine. quarter of nine, but most of the time if its a quarter I'll say "eight fifty five"
 

her209

No Lifer
Oct 11, 2000
56,336
11
0
5 of 9 :thumbsdown:
5 'til 9 :thumbsup:

EDIT: 5 of 9 = 0.555 (repeating)
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: CZroe
My sister keeps telling me times in a way I've never heard anyone else do it. She said that we'll be leaving "I don't know, five of nine?" earlier. I think it's just her and no one else talks like that, but she acts like it's self-explanatory when AFAIK she's just mis-stating it and means something else... like "5 'till 9" (8:55). In the example above (5 of 9), I don't know if she means 5 'till or 5 after, because she certainly isn't saying "5/9."

You've never heard anybody say that? Have you been locked in an ice cave up until this point? Five of nine is 8:55.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: CZroe
My sister keeps telling me times in a way I've never heard anyone else do it. She said that we'll be leaving "I don't know, five of nine?" earlier. I think it's just her and no one else talks like that, but she acts like it's self-explanatory when AFAIK she's just mis-stating it and means something else... like "5 'till 9" (8:55). In the example above (5 of 9), I don't know if she means 5 'till or 5 after, because she certainly isn't saying "5/9."

are you retarded?

this is used quite frequently, at least here in central PA. it means 8:55. i don't even see how you could even mix this up
 

Kwatt

Golden Member
Jan 3, 2000
1,602
12
81
5 of 9 means = 25 minutes after 8:30.
Simple when you think about. ;)

.
 

Chiropteran

Diamond Member
Nov 14, 2003
9,811
110
106
Originally posted by: spidey07
Have you never heard "quarter of nine"?

A quarter of nine is 2.25, I'm not sure if that means 2:25 or 2:15 (15 minutes being 25% of an hour).
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,565
13,802
126
www.anyf.ca
This is why I hate when people who say time in an indirect way. Just say the direct time as it is. Ex: Eight forty five. No reason to try and make it more complicated for nothing and make it possibly missleading.
 

DrawninwarD

Senior member
Jul 5, 2008
896
0
0
No one's ever used quarter of nine in a conversation with me, although I can guess what it would mean. I use quarter to ____.

Too hell with quarter till and quarter of.
 

Scouzer

Lifer
Jun 3, 2001
10,358
5
0
I've never heard of this until today, and I'm glad I haven't. Stupid expression.
 

geno

Lifer
Dec 26, 1999
25,074
4
0
8:55


This needs a poll so the 8:55 graph can tower over any other options.
 

cKGunslinger

Lifer
Nov 29, 1999
16,408
57
91
/forehead guy


But this reminds me, I had a friend in High School who kept insisting that "quarter 'til 10" meant 9:35 - because a "'quarter" was $0.25, so a quarter til meant 25 minutes until.
 

Dulanic

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2000
9,968
592
136
Its all about where in the country you are. NE area and I believe most of the east coast commonly say it this way. The midwest mostly says till not of.
 

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
105
106
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
This is why I hate when people who say time in an indirect way. Just say the direct time as it is. Ex: Eight forty five. No reason to try and make it more complicated for nothing and make it possibly missleading.

You think someone who says five of nine is making things complicated? What, do you think at 5 WPM?
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
12
81
You think this is hard? The Swedes have it really messed up.

IIRC:

TIME - English translation of what the swedes say

9:00 - 9 o'clock
9:05 - 5 minutes past 9 o'clock
9:10 - 5 minutes to quarter after 9
9:15 - quarter after 9
9:20 - 5 minutes after quarter after 9
9:25 - 5 minutes to half 10
9:30 - half 10
9:35 - 5 minutes past half 10
9:40 - 5 minutes to quarter to 10
9:45 - quarter to 10
9:50 - 5 minutes past quarter to 10
9:55 - 5 minutes to 10
10:00 - 10 o'clock
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,869
10,659
147
Originally posted by: silverpig
You think this is hard? The Swedes have it really messed up.

IIRC:

TIME - English translation of what the swedes say

9:00 - 9 o'clock
9:05 - 5 minutes past 9 o'clock
9:10 - 5 minutes to quarter after 9
9:15 - quarter after 9
9:20 - 5 minutes after quarter after 9
9:25 - 5 minutes to half 10
9:30 - half 10
9:35 - 5 minutes past half 10
9:40 - 5 minutes to quarter to 10
9:45 - quarter to 10
9:50 - 5 minutes past quarter to 10
9:55 - 5 minutes to 10
10:00 - 10 o'clock

The Germans do something quite similar.