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Why do Americans want to know the month first and the day second? (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by NONE_dc@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I'm sorry but it doesn't make sense TO ME. Based on what I was taught, regardless of the month, I think what matters first is to know what day of the month you are in, if at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of said month. After you know that, you can find out the month to know where you are in the year.

What is the benefit of doing it the other way around?

EDIT: To avoid misunderstandings:

I am NOT making fun OF ANYONE.
I am NOT negatively judging ANYTHING.
I am totally open to being corrected and LEARN.
This post is out of pure and honest CURIOSITY.

So PLEASE, don't take it the wrong way.

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[–] Paradachshund@lemmy.today 15 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I can't say it matters to me that much what order it's in, but that's just the same order we say it in when fully written out. March 23, 2025. 03/23/2025.

[–] arbitrary_sarcasm@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Not an American. But I've heard the same explanation. And it does make sense to me.

However, why do Americans say "Fourth of July" then?

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 days ago

Because its a holiday

[–] lukecooperatus@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Forth of July is a forced special case that we USians have been conditioned into differentiating. Strange shit like that due to nationalism. We don't do that for most other dates or holidays, though. Like, hardly anyone goes around routinely saying 31st of October to refer to that holiday.

Maybe the UK equivalent would be the 5th of November. (Or was that just popularized because of V For Vendetta?)

I suppose I've heard the Ides of March plenty, as well.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 hours ago

What I find funny is how many call it that instead of independence day.

[–] ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The 5th of November is Guy Fawkes Night in the UK: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

[–] xylol@leminal.space 2 points 3 days ago

Guy gets laid night

[–] Paradachshund@lemmy.today 1 points 3 days ago

For some reason doing it that way sounds extra fancy to us. At least it does to me. More formal I guess?

[–] ThirdConsul@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 days ago

Maybe it's a language specific thing? In my native tongue March 23 sounds like a journal entry, not a normal date.