> Jane:
> > Actually, I have heard WW1 referred to as "the
> '14-'18 war".
>
> Literally heard it, or read it somewhere?
My memory is very vague, let's see what I can dig out.
I'm not sure, but I can hear the sounds in my head, and if I'd read it, I wouldn't have been sounding it out. So probably "heard", literally.
> Was there
> an ideological point to calling it that? Or had the
> idiot simply drunk too much to remember what it was
> called?
No, it was a reference to that specific war, by someone who knew exactly what they were talking about and expected others to do so as well. A standard way of referring to it, among that group at least. Not that I can remember what "that group" was :(
When did that war start being called "World War 1"? After World War 2, presumably, or there would be no point in the distinguishing number. Wasn't it known as the "Great War" at one time? And of course the name can go the other way round: "First World War" rather than "World War One".
Sorry, modern history is not my strong point.
Just asked Dave, who does know these things. He agrees that all those are standard names for it, and adds "The War to end all wars". That one's only used ironically now.
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