Phone number reading: an experimental poll

[forthright]

Okay, readers, here is your opportunity to aid in the cause of Science! I am doing some preliminary research on how people read numbers in various contexts, focusing initially on phone numbers (North American format). This poll is designed to help me develop further research questions; I'm not using the results directly as data, so I'm not

Comments

Numbers, Words

[ankhorite]

Sixty-nine sounds like sixteen-nine.

I tend to given the nine a bounce in the middle, like an old-fashioned phone operator, to help distinguish it from five (in situations where the military "niner" would be too pompous).

[freakwoman]

Before working at a call centre I would always just recite the numbers as listed say four five four nine one seven eight. After the call centre I will sometimes group numbers, say four five four ninety one seventy eight. I find its a good clarifier if you aren't sure what the other person has said, or if you think the connection might be bad. It also works if the person is a dick. Aka, driving down the highway with the window down while talking to you. I also think that if it wasn't for the call centre work I would find anything listed in the hundreds or thousands confusing. As it is I am just glad when someone gives me actual numbers.

[crystalpyramid]

My first thought was definitely, "they are all wrong: you need an area code."

[wererogue]

Is it ok if I answer, or are you looking for people who use US phone numbers on a regular basis?

[forthright]

Sure, go ahead.

[wererogue]

Then I shall :)

Germany

[pne]

In Germany, telephone number format is 2-2-2, not 3-4Depends on how big your area is... I've seen phone numbers with everything from 3 to 8 digits, and the most common in the places I grew up happened to be 5 and 7