o'clock

[Eladio the Chemist]

Hola a todos. Alguien podría decirme, por favor, el origen de "o'clock", es decir, por qué la "o" con el apóstrofe: "o'"Ahora, qué diferencia hay entre:It's 12 o'clock y It's 12 sharp¿Puedo decir simplemente: It's 12?Otra cosa: ¿Qué es mejor It's two twenty o It's twenty after two? o It's twenty past two?Y gracias anticipadas.Eladio the chemist

 

[babep]

Hola Eladio,
he buscado el origen de la expresión y ahi va (supongo que te va bien si es en inglés. Si no, dímelo y te aclaro algo)

What is the origin of "o'clock"?​

Originally this term was of the clock—for which o'clock is a contraction. It means by or according to the clock. The form o'clock first began to appear in the 18th Century. In Chaucer's time (14th Century) of the clock was used. Later the word the in the phrase was omitted and of was frequently slurred to sound like an a. Chaucer said ten of the clokke, while many writers of the 16th and 17th centuries said ten of clock or ten a clock. Originally the word clock signified bell. The modern usage is a survival of the period when all mechanical timepieces sounded the hours by bells.

De hecho "12 o'clock" and "12 sharp" quieren decir lo mismo. Aunque supongo que uno podría decir "It's 12", casi siempre se usan las dos expresiones anteriores.
También se dice "It's 12 midnight" para las 12 de la noche, pero pocas veces he oido "It's 12 midday" (yo vivía en EEUU, no sé en UK).

Yo diría "It's two twenty" o "It's twenty past two" y menos "It's twenty after two"

 

[sound shift]

Coincido con babep - "It's twelve midday" me suena raro. En lugar de esto, yo diría "It's twelve noon".

Nunca oí "It's twenty after two".

 

[Eladio the Chemist]

Gracias, babep!!!It's 12 midday es lo mismo que It's 12 noon?Eladio the chemist

 

[sweetpotatoboy]

12 o'clock is not the same as 12 sharp. The latter really emphasises that it's exactly 12.00, not a minute later.

Also, you would be unlikely to use "12 sharp" when asked what the time is. It would really only be used when planning ahead. e.g. "Let's meet at 12 sharp." "I'm leaving at 12 sharp whether you are there or not."
(At least that's my humble opinion based on BE usage.)

 

[AuPhinger]

“12 sharp” would simply be “doce en punto” wouldn’t it?

 

[Antpax]

“12 sharp” would simply be “doce en punto” wouldn’t it?

Hi,

Using Sweetpotatoboy explanation I would say "12 o´clock" would be "las doce en punto" rather than "12 sharp" that would be more or less "las doce clavadas", which has more enphasis than "las doce en punto".

I do not know if I have explained myself, but hope it helps.

Ant.

 

[Nininha]

12 o'clock : Las 12 en punto.
12 Sharp: Justo las 12.

 

[Eladio the Chemist]

12 sharp = Doce en punto. Doce rayando.Me parece que 12 o'clock puede ser unos segundos antes o después de las doce, pero que 12 sharp, es exactamente las doce. Pero no soy nativo inglés ni norteamericano.Eladio the Chemist

 

[sweetpotatoboy]

Exactly.

You can also say "12 on the dot".

 

[willgy]

Exactly.

You can also say "12 on the dot".

Or exactly 12, or 12 on the nose. As in, "I'll meet you at exactly 12" or "I'll meet you at 12 on the nose."

 

[Nerium]

Hola a todos.
Me he encontrado este hilo, y según me contó un doctor en filología inglesa, el origen de o'clock viene efectivamente de of the clock. Antiguamente, nadie tenía reloj, y sólo se podía saber la hora cuando repicaban las horas en punto en el campanario del pueblo. De esta forma, los habitantes del pueblo y los campesinos que labraban las tierras en las afueras sabían sólo la hora en punto (por el sonido de la campana de la torre).
Espero haber sido de ayuda.
Saludos.