Years of confusion
OH dear. Here we go again. A seemingly widespread belief that 2010 is the start of the second decade of the 21st century – which it is not.
The same thing happened in the year 2000, when it was hailed as the arrival of the new century – which it was not.
Reason? The first century did not have a year nought, so it was at the end of the year 100 that the first one hundred years were completed. The second century started at the beginning of the year 101.
Similarly, the 21st century commenced on January 1, 2001, and the first decade of this century also on January 1, 2001, to be completed on December 31, 2010.
There is no harm in referring to the past 10 years and The Noughties, but they should not be confused with the first decade.
John Addison, Lewes.
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Weather for Lewes
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 2 C
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Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
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