Why do Europeans say 1000 million instead of 1 billion?

[powerade01]

I have a question:

Why do Europeans say 1000 million instead of 1 billion?

(The amount we are talking about is:

1,000,000,000

or

1.000.000.000

)

[Carlos of Smeg]

Im from Europe and have never heard anybody say a 1000 million...

[epraes]

Why do Americans say 1 billion instead of 1000 million?

:p

[Lee G. Veteran]

It's much more common to say 1 billion than 1000 million in the UK, although this answers your question - http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq...utwords/billion

[Guest MGS3_GrayFox]

In Latin America an american billion (1,000,000,000) is said as a thousand millions, and an american trillion (1,000,000,000,000) is said as a billion.

[Carlos of Smeg]

Interesting link - never heard it referred to as 1000 million in any sense other than explaining how many millions are in a billion! Guess i am not a traditionally minded englishman!

[Slackerr]

in Russia it is called "milliard"

[Joel]

in Russia it is called "milliard"

In French also. And 'billion' is trillion.

[callummr]

I'm English, I say a billion.

[The_Wizard]

Im from Europe and have never heard anybody say a 1000 million...

I say a billion and I'm from the UK...

[HawkMan]

in Russia it is called "milliard"

Same for Norway/Scandinavia

[Ricardo Gil]

In French also. And 'billion' is trillion.

Correct. An European billion is the same as an American trillion.

[Joel]

Wait, what year did England become part of Europe again?

[Pikey]

I'm from the UK and old enough to remember the good old imperial days when a million million equaled a billion and a million million million was a trillion ..

[Slackerr]

Correct. An European billion is the same as an American trillion.

True.

Wait, what year did England become part of Europe again?

Geographically - it never went away :)

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

in Russia it is called "milliard"

In German it's called 'Milliarde'.

I've never heard anyone say '1000 million' instead of '1 milliard'.

[dancedar]

Wait, what year did England become part of Europe again?

1973.

I've never heard anyone say 'one thousand million' outside of horrible attempts to quote an Austin Powers line.

Where exactly did you see/hear it like this?

[Slackerr]

In German it's called 'Milliarde'.

Not a great difference.

[Pupik]

About what country exactly are we talking about in Europe?

I've never heard anyone using "one thousand millions".

[Joel]

Geographically - it never went away :)

No, but politically there is a separation. It seems to go back and forth. Sometimes England is a part of Europe, and other times there is a distinction.

[insanelyapple]

also 1 miliard in Poland.

so, you're a freak - not us :p

[brentaal]

in Russia it is called "milliard"

Same for all other Slavic languages. (milliard, milliarda, miliyarda, etc.)

I don't know where OP heard 1000 million. :/

Perhaps ze intrawebz? Intrawebz r srs.

[Lee G. Veteran]

1973.

No, that's when it joined the EU. England/the UK has always been part of Europe.

Edited July 16, 2009 by lcg

[Slackerr]

Same for all other Slavic languages. (milliard, milliarda, etc.)

I don't know where OP heard 1000 million. :/

Perhaps ze intrawebz? Intrawebz r srs.

They deliver the data using the method of sending TCP packets via dove mail, that's TRU srs!

[Beastage]

Milliard in Israel but billion is also a thousand million and trillion is a million millions.