Telephone address?

[Robert G]

I read somewhere that a telephone number is not a number. Rather, it is a sequence of single numbers (in which any zeros are considered to be numbers). OK, I'll go along with that. After all, I don''t think of my number as, for example, six hundred and fifty four thousand, three hundred and twenty one (which would be a number).

So why do we persist in referring to a telephone number?

Why don't we call it a telephone address? Or some other logical name?

Your suggestions please.

[kempie]

We could also have Personal Identification Addresses for our credit cards and National Insurance Addresses (especially since this number also contains letters!).

Or we could leave things as they are...

[Buenchico]

It both is and isn't a number. Your argument that it isn't a number is, of course valid but equally it could be said that the number six hundred and fifty-four thousand, three hundred and twenty one is being used as a representation for the string of digits 6,5,4,3,2,1. So, depending upon your viewpoint, it either isn't a number or it's a number representing something else.

I assume, by the way, that, like me, you get annoyed whenever you hear someone refer to a 'PIN number'. I find the inherent tautology really irritating. (Personal identification number number is meaningless!).

Oh, hang on a minute. I've just referred to 'inherent tautology' and, given that all tautology has to be inherent to the phrase, that means that I'm guilty of the crime of ....erm, .....tautology! Bum!!

Chris

[joko]

i'd like see how on earth that pointless rule would be implemented!

0181 8645 2746547 - is a line of numbers! simple.

perhaps we should just use the plural as there is more than one number?

btw - the above is not my own personal telephone numbers...mmm....doesn't sound right does it?

life is complicated enough...

[kempie]

BTW a colloquial US phrase for 'telephone number' is 'digits', as in "she gave me her digits".

[lady_p_gold]

Oh Bueunicho I always think that !!!!

[lady_p_gold]

+c