How to read aloud a sentence like 'In the year 18.. they decided to move to Bricktown'?

Question

How to read aloud a sentence like 'In the year 18.. they decided to move to Bricktown'? Such sentences are common especially in Victorian literature.My only option is 'eighteen and something' but I feel that it will not do when reading aloud formal texts, e.g. citations from legal documents included into some fiction books.

Answer 1

Hi--

You're talking about how to read aloud from the book when it says "In the year 18--, they decided..." right? I've usually seen a dash after the 18 rather than two periods, but I assume we're talking about the same thing.

I don't know that there's a right way to do it. If it were me, I would either say "eighteen blank" or else simply stretch out the end of the word "eighteen" to let the audience know it's unfinished in the text.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hello,

To answer your question, my advice is to pre-read the entire content to determine whether the event took place in the early, middle or late 1800s. If you can, then say, "In the (early, middle or late) 1800s, they decided to move to Bricktown. If you can't determine when in the century the event took place, begin your statement by saying, "During the 1800s they decided to move to Bricktown."