Why do Americans write their dates down backwards?

[Corn Cutter]

I have no idea, but whatever.

Neither side has the 'right' one. Use whichever takes your fancy.

lol, talking about 'right' one...

USA: writing dates in the wrong order
GB: driving on the wrong site of the road

GER: correct order, correct lane. guess we win

[small](insert your text here about us having lost against both of you in the past ^^)[/small]

 

[Downfall89]

Being an American, which makes me an expert on the subject, the reason I can give is that it is just another way that we are different from our cousins across the pond. It's just how we do things, which is also the reason why we don't use the metric system and why we drive on a different side of the road than our former colonizers.

But everyone uses the metric system.. Driving on the other side of the road is one thing, reading the month, then day, then year is another thing, but not using the metric system? At least conform in that way.

 

[Hollock]

we're crazy! Do do dodododo do do dodo. I actually did it the wrong way for Americans by mistake today.

 

[Callate]

I'd hazard a guess that it's in the order from lowest maximum to highest maximum. Month (max 12), Day (max 31), Year (max 99, or 1999, depending on convention used).

But then, that's what I grew up with, so it doesn't seem strange to me. I don't really know why we choose to do things that way. It's true that the day is the more immediately pertinent information for most purposes, but if you're going to list the month anyway (and possibly the year), does it really matter which order you place them in, so long as there's no confusion?

I don't particularly mind "colour" or "defence", by the way. But "tyre" drives me nuts.

 

[Patinator]

Reasons have been said, to differentiate. Personally i wright it dd/mm/yyyy because it's always seemed better to me. When people ask why i just say it's because i'm from the east coast. ( the midwest can be very stupid sometimes). I would drive on the left and use metrics for things other then scientific measurement, but that would only end badly...

 

[la-le-lu-li-lo]

Because we do everything wrong and backwards.

Hell, we won't even use the metric system. I mean it's originally English, the Imperial system I mean, but it really doesn't make any sense. I was going to bring up that we drive on the ride side of the road... But apparently most countries do too. So I guess we actually got that one right.

 

[sagacious]

I was just wondering because Americans always say the UK is stupid for spelling things like 'colour' in that way. I actually agree because there is no need for the 'u'. but then I was like wtf hypocrisy! they put the dates in the most stupid order: month,day,year! I honestly don't know how you can even look yourselves in the mirror

military does it day/month/year.

but yeah I see your point, I'm american (in case you couldn't tell),an it pisses me off that we don't even use the metric system. the metric system is JUST FUCKING BETTER than imperial.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

I was just wondering because Americans always say the UK is stupid for spelling things like 'colour' in that way. I actually agree because there is no need for the 'u'. but then I was like wtf hypocrisy! they put the dates in the most stupid order: month,day,year! I honestly don't know how you can even look yourselves in the mirror

Ya know, that doesn't make sense. I think I'll start doing the logical day month year thing. I've already started trying using kilometers, because they make more sense too.

 

[Fr331anc3r]

It fits phonetically, we speak the date "april 5, 2010" so we write it "04/05/10"

Personally it makes more sense to me to write it the other way, that way you have the smallest unit of time first and the largest last.

Personally I say the 5th of April, April Five just sounds silly. Yeah, smallest to largest or largest to smallest makes most sense, it'd be like saying 59:10:29 in Minutes:Hours:Seconds, just silly.

 

[Uberjoe19]

Americans do a lot of shit backwards for no apparent reason.

Seriously, why are we the only country that drives on the right side of the road, write dates month, day, year and don't use the metric system?

Actually, almost every country that was not a possession of the British Empire drives on the right side of the road, Canada being an exception, as they were a colony and drive on the right side.

 

[Uberjoe19]

I was just wondering because Americans always say the UK is stupid for spelling things like 'colour' in that way. I actually agree because there is no need for the 'u'. but then I was like wtf hypocrisy! they put the dates in the most stupid order: month,day,year! I honestly don't know how you can even look yourselves in the mirror

Ya know, that doesn't make sense. I think I'll start doing the logical day month year thing. I've already started trying using kilometers, because they make more sense too.

YOU ARE UNAMERICAN! We must send call the FBI and CIA on you for Unamerican Activities.

 

[Arkzism]

well i know people who go day month year

i think it comes from its expected we know what year it is so thats put in the back

 

[Jamash]

we Americans drive on the correct side of the road (we invented the car so we get to make the rules)

Karl Benz was German, not American, and we Britons have been travelling on the correct side of the road since the Roman Empire.

 

[Uberjoe19]

I have no idea, but whatever.

Neither side has the 'right' one. Use whichever takes your fancy.

lol, talking about 'right' one...

USA: writing dates in the wrong order
GB: driving on the wrong site of the road

GER: correct order, correct lane. guess we win

[small](insert your text here about us having lost against both of you in the past ^^)[/small]

We totally did do that thing you said in the small type, but I would love to live in this magical land called Ger.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

I was just wondering because Americans always say the UK is stupid for spelling things like 'colour' in that way. I actually agree because there is no need for the 'u'. but then I was like wtf hypocrisy! they put the dates in the most stupid order: month,day,year! I honestly don't know how you can even look yourselves in the mirror

Ya know, that doesn't make sense. I think I'll start doing the logical day month year thing. I've already started trying using kilometers, because they make more sense too.

YOU ARE UNAMERICAN! We must send call the FBI and CIA on you for Unamerican Activities.

Oh, yah, and what unit of measurement does the US Military use? Hmmm? What do you think a klick is?

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

i wanted to say because they are backwarded, but that would increase the hate level, so i'll just say that they don't like doing the same thing that most countries do.

 

[Heeman89]

I protest! I'm from the US and I don't write the date they way you say we do!

...mainly because the head office for the company I work for is located in London and they ***** every time I write it the US way...

 

[d3structor]

It fits phonetically, we speak the date "april 5, 2010" so we write it "04/05/10"

Personally it makes more sense to me to write it the other way, that way you have the smallest unit of time first and the largest last.

Personally I say the 5th of April, April Five just sounds silly. Yeah, smallest to largest or largest to smallest makes most sense, it'd be like saying 59:10:29 in Minutes:Hours:Seconds, just silly.

That is the difference in our culture. We are raised hearing "April fifth" whereas most of the world says "fifth of April" and the way we write the date reflects that. I doubt anyone can definitely say why we say the date like that but we do.

 

[spacecowboy86]

I'm american and i've never made fun of anyone for spelling color "colour". It doesn't matter to me. As for the dates i don't know what to say that's just what they teach in school.