Good morning,
In Fergus Falls, MN, this morning, headed for Bismarck, ND, and then Grand Forks -- two groups of fabulous North Dakota reporters.
This question came up on my page on Facebook:
"More and more since we have entered the year 2000 and beyond, people are starting to shorten the years as they say them. It's not 2007; it's 2-0-7. What to do??"
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that we just transcribe the year as it should be. I know; I know. It is not verbatim as it was said. My argument would be that the witness/attorney/judge have no idea they are saying it in a strange way -- duh! Don't we have this problem all the time?? If you transcribe "2-07" or "2'07," they are going to look at it and wonder, "What is that reporter doing? I didn't say that."
Just as we don't put in the "and" in the number 427, I recommend we transcribe the year as it should be -- said "2-0-7"; transcribe "2007."
Happy punctuating.
Margie