Parsing Question

[Ginger]

If you saw the phrase, "it happened New Year's Eve of 1963", with no other context, would you take that to mean Dec 31, 1962, or Dec 31, 1963?

Would you be so kind as to include with your reply where you live, in general terms (UK, AU, CAN, NZ, Eastern US, Southern US, or Western US), please?

Thanks everyone!

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Ginger,

From the UK id take it to mean Dec 31st 1963.

[Pcdunn]

Hi, Ginger,

From Western USA, definitely Dec. 31st of 1963, which is properly the Eve of the New Year's Day (Jan. 1st, 1964).

[Sam Flynn]

In similar vein, what does "turn of the century" mean? Is it January 1st 1900 (say) or 31st December 1999?

[Robert]

Neither. It's Johan Cruyff.

[FrankO]

Neither. It's Johan Cruyff.

[Ginger]

In similar vein, what does "turn of the century" mean? Is it January 1st 1900 (say) or 31st December 1999?

I never really considered "turn of the century to denote a single day, but rather an indefinite time period around the end of a century rather like" fin de siecle.

Also 1901 was the first year of the new century.

[Sam Flynn]

I never really considered "turn of the century to denote a single day,

Neither do I - that was just an example. What I really want to know is whether it's the old century turning out, or the new century turning in. Fin de siecle, or debut de la siecle, if you like.

[GUT]

Aus

31 dec 63

[c.d.]

From the good ole US of A (and the nation's capital) -- December 31, 1963.

c.d.