Pronunciation varieties[edit]
There are several main varieties of how individual years of the decade are pronounced in English. Using 1906 as an example, they are "nineteen-oh-six", "nineteen-six", and "nineteen-ought-six". Which variety is most prominent depends somewhat on global region and generation. In American English, "nineteen-oh-six" is the most common; "nineteen-six" is less common; "nineteen-ought-six" is recognized but not much used. In British English, "nineteen-six" is more common than it is in American English. In the post–World War II era through the 1990s, mentions of "nineteen-ought-six" or "ought-six" often distinctly connoted old-fashioned speech; for example, it was once used to add to the geriatric-humor effect in the dialogue of the Grampa Simpson character. The strength of the comedic effect diminished during the aughts of the next century, as the public grew used to questioning how to refer to an "ohs" or "aughts" decade.