Writing dates isn’t always as straightforward as it seems, especially when history books and documentaries throw around terms like AD, BC, BCE, and CE. You might think you’ve got a grip on it until you’re faced with setting them down on paper yourself. Suddenly, it’s not just about the numbers but understanding what those little letters stand for and why they’re so important to getting your facts right.
It’s a bit like being handed a map without the legend. Sure, you can see where you need to go, but without knowing what the symbols mean, you’re likely to take a few wrong turns. And in writing, those wrong turns can lead your readers down a path of confusion. So, how do you ensure you’re leading them in the right direction? The answer lies in mastering the art of writing years with precision and clarity.
But just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, there’s a twist waiting around the corner.
When writing years, AD and BC are common terms you might already know. AD stands for “Anno Domini,” Latin for “in the year of our Lord,” referring to years after the birth of Jesus. So, AD 2023 means 2023 years after Jesus’s birth. On the other hand, BC means “Before Christ,” used for years before Jesus’s birth. For example, 300 BC is 300 years before Jesus was born.
In modern times, people use BCE and CE to include everyone, no matter their religion. BCE stands for “Before Common Era,” similar to BC. And CE means “Common Era,” which is the same as AD. So, 2023 CE is the same as AD 2023, and 300 BCE is the same as 300 BC. These terms help us talk about history in a way that includes everyone.
Understanding the Basics of AD and BC Notations
Knowing the history of AD and BC notations helps to ensure their correct usage in various fields and professional contexts. In this section, we dive into what AD and BC stand for, their origins, and the proper order and punctuation for these historical dating terms.
What AD and BC Stand For and Their Origins
The abbreviation AD stands for Anno Domini, which translates to “in the year of the Lord” and denotes the years following Jesus Christ’s birth, starting from AD 1. On the other hand, BC means Before Christ and refers to the years leading up to Christ’s birth, counting backwards to an undefined point.
The concept of counting years from Jesus’s birth was first suggested by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in 525 AD. This marked the Christian era’s inception and established the basis for the BC/AD system used today.
Positioning AD and BC: Punctuation and Precedence
Proper notation involves placing AD before the year, while BC comes after. Be aware that writing AD 2015 and 300 BC are correct, while 2015 AD is considered a common error. This mistake often results from misunderstanding that AD means “after death” of Christ, which is incorrect.
Punctuation varies depending on the style guide used, but in American English, it is common to exclude periods (AD and BC) and small caps are also a typical typographical preference. Consistency is essential when using these historical date abbreviations, resulting in clear and accurate communication.
The Emergence of BCE and CE: Recognizing Religious Neutrality
In the quest for religious neutrality in historical dating, BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) have emerged as alternatives to the traditional BC and AD notations. This shift towards secularism was initially spurred by Jewish academics over a century ago. Throughout the late 20th century, the usage of BCE and CE grew increasingly popular across broader academic and scientific circles.
The appeal of BCE and CE lies in their ability to cater to religious diversity without compromising the calendar’s structure based on Jesus’s birth. By aligning with BC notation, BCE and CE are written after the year, maintaining a familiar layout while eliminating inherent Christian connotations. This inclusive approach allows historians, scientists, and researchers from different faiths and backgrounds to communicate effectively using a shared dating system.
The usage of BCE and CE contributes to greater inclusivity and religious neutrality in historical dating.
As common era terminology, BCE and CE detach from the religious implications of AD and BC, fostering a more universal understanding of historical events. This entails the promotion of multilateral communication between communities that share the Gregorian calendar system, regardless of their religious affiliations.
- BCE and CE usage provides a common ground for secular and non-Christian scholars.
- Religious neutrality in dating streamlines communication in academia and scientific research.
- Replacing BC and AD with common era notations does not alter the calendar’s structure, preserving continuity.
The emergence of BCE and CE notations acknowledges the importance of religious neutrality and inclusivity in historical dating. As the preference for BCE and CE grows in various fields, these terms persist in promoting a shared understanding of history for a diverse global audience.
Writing Years Correctly in Historical Contexts
Historical years can be challenging to write accurately, especially when using AD and BC notations. To help you master the art of historical dating and prevent errors, this section discusses common misconceptions about AD and BC and their correct usage in literature and academic papers.
Common Errors and Misconceptions about AD and BC
Despite the prevalence of AD and BC in historical writing, several misconceptions continue to cause common dating errors. Among these errors are:
- Placing AD after the year: The correct usage requires AD to be placed before the year (e.g., AD 2021).
- Assuming AD means “after death”: AD actually stands for “Anno Domini” or “the year of our Lord” and denotes the years after Jesus Christ’s birth.
- Incorrect application of BC: BC should follow the year number (e.g., 1500 BC) and not precede it.
Familiarizing yourself with these misconceptions can help you avoid errors when using AD and BC in your writing.
Examples of Correct Usage in Literature and Academic Papers
By examining accurate historical date usage in literature and academic papers, you can gain a clearer understanding of how to write years in their proper context. Consider the following example from Roman history:
Caesar Augustus ruled from 27 BC to AD 14.
In this sentence, the years are accurately placed using AD before the year and BC after the year. Consistently applying the same notations throughout your work, whether AD and BC or BCE and CE, is crucial to avoid confusion and maintain a coherent scholarly communication style.
Why BCE and CE are Preferred in Academic and Scientific Communities
The adoption of BCE and CE in academic and scientific communities has been steadily increasing due to several key reasons. The main factors contributing to their popularity include religious neutrality, inclusivity, and a more accurate representation of historical events. In this section, we’ll explore these reasons in greater detail and highlight the benefits of using BCE and CE notations in a scientific context.
First and foremost, BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are embraced for their religious neutrality. By using these terms, scholars can take a secular approach when dating historical events, making their research more inclusive—particularly for those who don’t identify with Christianity. This neutrality ensures that all readers, regardless of their religious backgrounds, can engage with the content without any religious implications or biases.
In addition to promoting inclusivity, BCE and CE also provide a more accurate representation of historical events. This is vital for maintaining the scientific community conventions that necessitate precise, unbiased information for research purposes. By using BCE and CE, scholars can better address inaccuracies in Jesus’s birth year while establishing a more universal “common era” starting point.
Adopting secular dating notations like BCE and CE allows researchers from diverse backgrounds to study historical events without any religious biases, adhering to scientific community conventions and promoting accuracy in their work.
Another reason for the growing preference for BCE and CE in academic and scientific communities is the international use of the Gregorian calendar. As this calendar system is widely recognized and utilized across the globe, having a notation system that detaches from the Christian connotations of AD and BC helps to facilitate clearer communication among researchers of various cultural and religious backgrounds.
- Religious Neutrality: BCE and CE allow for a secular approach to dating historical events.
- Inclusivity: The use of BCE and CE promotes inclusivity for researchers and readers of diverse religious backgrounds.
- Accuracy: BCE and CE enable scholars to better address inaccuracies in Jesus’s birth year while establishing a more universal “common era.”
- International Use: The growing preference for BCE and CE acknowledges the widespread use of the Gregorian calendar and its utility in various fields of research.
The adoption of BCE and CE notations in academic and scientific communities enhances the accessibility and accuracy of historical research without compromising religious neutrality. It allows scholars from diverse backgrounds to engage in research on equal footing while adhering to the conventions and standards expected within the scientific community.
Typographical Nuances: Capitalization and Period Usage in Dates
When it comes to writing historical dates using AD, BC, BCE, and CE, various style guide recommendations exist, making it crucial to understand and follow the preferred typography for clarity and consistency. This section delves into the different capitalization, period usage, and small caps convention in historical date notation.
Making Sense of Style Guides: Should You Use Periods or Small Caps?
Most American English style guides suggest using capital letters with no periods when notating historical dates. For instance, “AD” (Anno Domini) and “BC” (Before Christ) should be in capital letters without periods.
However, it’s not uncommon to see small caps used as a typographic alternative. Small caps are smaller versions of capital letters, typically used in running text for acronyms and abbreviations to maintain an even typographic color. The usage of periods after each letter in initialisms can also be observed occasionally. That said, there has been a contemporary shift away from unnecessary punctuation, phasing out this practice.
In both cases, it’s crucial to adhere to the styling standards set forth by the appropriate style guides.
Here’s a comparison of different style guide recommendations concerning period usage and small caps in historical dating:
| Style Guide | Capitalization | Periods | Small Caps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associated Press (AP) | Capital letters | No | Not recommended |
| Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) | Capital letters | No | Allowed as an alternative |
| Modern Language Association (MLA) | Capital letters | No | Allowed as an alternative |
| American Psychological Association (APA) | Capital letters | No | Not recommended |
Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the style guide relevant to your writing and stick to its standards. Following style guide recommendations ensures your writing maintains consistency, readability, and accuracy, especially when using abbreviations such as AD, BC, BCE, and CE in historical contexts.
Choosing Between AD, BC, BCE, and CE When Writing Years: A Practical Approach
When selecting historical date abbreviations, consider the intended audience and context. AD and BC are more common in journalistic settings, while BCE and CE are preferred in academic and scientific texts. Your choice depends on whether your focus is religious, secular, or neutral, as well as the audience’s likely preference.
A practical dating notation involves consistency throughout your work. Avoid mixing different systems – stick to either AD and BC or BCE and CE. When not specified, a year is generally understood to fall in the CE (or AD) period, so it is deemed unnecessary to mark recent history with either abbreviation.
In summary, the decision between AD/BC and BCE/CE should be based on the context of your writing and the audience you are addressing. As long as you apply your chosen system uniformly and accurately throughout your work, your historical date notation will be clear and informative for your readers.
