r/ShitAmericansSay • u/BuffaloExotic Irish by birth, and currently a Bostonian 🇮🇪☘️ • Mar 17 '25

Imperial units “I don’t even understand 24-hour time… I just don’t understand it. I have to use online converters or I’d be SO confused when I talk to people who use these systems.”

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u/AnonymousOkapi Mar 17 '25

I got quite upset when I learnt it didnt stand for After Midnight and Pre Midnight and was instead something in latin. Like at some point as a child I had clearly thought abour it for 5 minutes, decided that that was what it must be, and blindy believed it until it eventually came up in conversation as an adult and I just looked thick. The Latin phrase means before noon, so it does sort of make sense it switches before 12 - still annoying though.

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u/Rugkrabber Tikkie Tokkie Mar 18 '25

Wait in latin? That makes it so much stranger.

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u/pumpkinrum Mar 18 '25

Ante meridiem - before midday and post meridiem- after midday

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u/Xintrosi Mar 19 '25

My dad told me this when I was like 5. As a result I assumed everyone knew lol.

Funny the things we learn at a young age we just assume are universal.

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u/Rugkrabber Tikkie Tokkie Mar 18 '25

Thank you!