The end of the decade snuck up on me. After all the Y2K/Millennium noise ten years ago, I thought never have to pay attention to a year change again, unless I was writing a check.
At midnight tonight, we pass from one decade to the next. I’ve heard debates all week about what to call the years from 2000 to 2009. Much of the debate has been couched in political terms rather than providing a numeric statement.
So, what do we call this decade soon to pass? One term I haven’t heard is “the aughts”. I had a history prof that referred to the period of 1900 to 1909 as “the aughts”. Should we call them “the 00′s”, like we refer to “the 40′s” or “the 80′s”?
What to do about the decade coming up? Are they “the 10′s”? Or do we call them “the teens”, even though we won’t hit a “teen” number for three more years? If we did, do we call the 2000-2009 time-frame “the pre-teens”?
I’m full of questions, but no good answers. Time to check with the experts. My favorite style guide, The Chicago Manual of Style (section 9.37, 15th edition) suggests referring to the 2000-2009 and 2010-2019 time frames as first decade of the 21st century and the second decade of the 21st century. It’s the clearest and most specific description, even if it’s a bit long.
If you want to debate when the decade ends or the millennium ended, well, you can carry on that conversation in the comments. I’m off to celebrate the new year!
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