One last thought for 2010, and it's already about 2011

Will the coming year generally be pronounced "twenty-eleven"? Likely so (which, admittedly, is no different from what I speculated a year ago).

However, I think it might end up "twenty 'leven" because the last syllable of twenty and the first syllable of eleven are the same e sound, and thus we may almost inadvertently blur them together somewhat, because—of course—we've been having four-syllable years for the last decade, and five will seem just a bit too unwieldy.

I have a great amount of faith in our propensity for hints of laziness.

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To say "two-thousand eleven" (all six syllables) will be how those who wish to seem erudite will do.

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Happy Old Year's Day, gentle reader, no matter how what you plan to call next year. (Hurry up—you need to decide by tomorrow.)