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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Sophie Buchan

Scottish comedian splits TikTok over 'confusing' timekeeping phrase 'nobody understands'

A Scottish comedian has divided TikTok over what certain phrases means when it comes to telling the time.

Often we'll hear that it's half past three or twenty to six, and whilst it's easy to tell these times and understand what they mean, there's other ways of telling the time that, to some, just don't make much sense.

Taking to TikTok, James Gardner - or @jamesycottar on the social media app - has proved that Scottish timekeeping can confuse people.

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In the video, acting out a scene with him and his 'friend' in the background, he says: "James, what time are we meeting everyone?

"We'll just get them there at the back of 10.

"The back of what?

"The back of 10.

"You've lost me."

Explaining it to his 'friend' in the comedy sketch he continued: "It can be any time really, sorta five or 10 or even quarter past if you want. It's something we invented to give you a bit of flexibility so you don't really need to be there bang on time. But if you get there earlier, all the better.

"It couldn't be 10:30 because that would be half 10. You're kinda reaching at that point."

Questioning his reasoning in the comments one said: "How is that the back of ten? Surely it's the front of ten?" and in response he made a video.

He explained: "It's known as the back of 10 because if you are standing at the back of somebody you are behind them, you're running late. So that's how the time means after 10. If you're at the front of 10 which would mean you're at the front of the queue and early so that's before 10."

Taking to the comments people started to chime in with their own opinions with some agreeing, others on the other side of the debate and most people just left confused.

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One said: "You know what I'm 31 years of age Scottish and I've never really understood the term back of heard it all my life."

Another added: "Look at a analogue clock. The big arm is after 10 so the back of 10."

"My ex used to think it meant the same thing so I’d always get moaned at for being ‘late’" wrote a third whilst a fourth said: "Front of ten just sounds daft, that’s the main reason."

If we told you to meet at the back of 10, what time would you arrive? Let us know in the comments, we're keen to see what Glaswegians, and people beyond say!

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