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Subject:RE: how much is a billion From:Paul Newbold <paul -dot- newbold -at- lightwork -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 15 Aug 2001 15:35:26 +0100
The difference between US and UK definitions of 1 billion is rapidly
becoming a non issues as even here in the UK the convention is pretty much
to use 1 billion = 1,000 million (I always do and always have since being
taught so at high school in the 70s and university in the 80s). Bodies such
as the UK Govt's Treasury publish the national budget in billion=1k million
and this morning on the BBC it was reported that the English Premier League
(proper football ;->) had revenues topping ?1 billion for the first time
(they meant 1 billion=1k million).
I reckon the Oxford English Dictionary will have an 'archaic' tag next to 1
billion=1 million million soon!
So fellow writers for a global English speaking readership, feel safe in
assuming that 99.9% will know what you mean if you use 1 billion=1k million.
I've just read Jane's post so you obviously have to be more careful when
writing for the French and Germans!
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