Reply To: English tips.

OK, this is not really and English issue, but here goes: 12 am and 12 pm make no sense and are ambiguous. They are used to refer to Noon and Midnight (is 12 am Noon, or is it Midnight?). If you mean Noon, say Noon, or 12 Noon. And if you mean Midnight, say Midnight or 12 Midnight.

am, or a.m., stands for ante-meridian, i.e., before the meridian. Likewise, pm, or p.m., means post-meridian, or after the meridian. But Noon and Midnight are the meridians, neither before nor after. So 12 pm or 12 am is senseless.

And what day is it when it is one minute after Tuesday Midnight? Is it Tuesday, or Wednesday. Is Midnight the end of the day, or the beginning?

Take a look at your insurance policies. I’ll bet that they expire at 11:59 pm to avoid ambiguity. I think I have auto policies that expire at Noon.