From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2020 (MMXX) will be a leap year starting on Wednesday in the Gregorian calendar. It will be the first year of the 2020s decade.

Pronunciation

See also: Year pronunciation There is a debate as to how specific years of the 21st century, including 2020, should be pronounced in English. Although the majority of English-speakers say "two thousand (and) X" for any specific year post–1999, it is often suggested that the continuation of this type of pronunciation for the entire 21st century would be inappropriate or unnatural, given the alternative "twenty X" option.

Many experts agree that majority usage of "two thousand (and) X" is a result of influences from the Year 2000 problem hype, as well as the way "2001" was pronounced in the influential 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Experts also suggest that since former years such as 1805 and 1905 were commonly pronounced as "eighteen oh" or "nineteen oh" five, the year 2005 should naturally have been pronounced as "twenty oh-five".^[1]

Many people, ranging from linguistic and academic experts to Internet bloggers, predict that the "twenty X" pronunciation method will eventually prevail, but a time frame as to when this change will occur often differs. The year 2010 is suggested by many^[2][3], while 2011^[1] and 2013 are popular as well. The latest time frame for change is usually placed at 2020^[1] or 2100. David Crystal, author of the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, has predicted that the change will occur in 2011, to "twenty eleven", explaining that the way people pronounce years depends on rhythm, rather than logic. Crystal claims that the rhythm or "flow" of "two thousand (and) ten", beats out that of "twenty ten", but the flow of "twenty eleven" beats out "two thousand (and) eleven".^[1] Alternatively, Ian Brookes, editor-in-chief of Chambers Dictionary, suggests the change will occur in 2013. The UK Times has suggested 2020 as a final time frame for the change, saying "If people can have “twenty-twenty” vision, then surely they should also live in the year “twenty twenty”."^[1]

In addition, the Vancouver Olympics, taking place in 2010, are being officially referred to by Vancouver 2010 as "the twenty-ten Olympics", and the London Olympics, taking place in 2012, are also being officially referred to by London 2012 as "the twenty-twelve Olympics".

Predicted and scheduled events

Unknown dates

• The main segment of track extending from San Francisco to Anaheim of the California High Speed Rail system is expected to be completed.
• JAXA plans to send robotic astronauts to the Moon, followed by human astronauts^[4]
• 2020 Summer Olympics
• This is the year that the Hong Kong MTR South Island Line east section is expected to be completed.
• Last nuclear power plant in Germany scheduled to shut down
• British newspaper The Guardian published a series of magazines in September 2004 predicting life in 2020. These predictions include widespread use of artificially intelligent cars, "smart" clothing incorporating computer chips, and green energy sources.
• Mapping the Global Future: Report of the National Intelligence Council's 2020 Project was published in December 2004 with a long-term view of the future. The NIC is the center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking within the US Government.
• In Australia, Queensland is expected to overtake Victoria as the second most populous state of the nation.
• Mayans Predict Age of Transition.
• Global oil production is expected to peak.^[5]
• The Russian Federal Space Agency says that they plan to be mining helium-3 from the moon by this year. ^[6]
• Earliest year that power aboard the space probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 is expected to terminate (though either probe may function past this date).
• NASA Venus Surface Explorer mission to Venus (part of the New Frontiers program)
• Several underdeveloped countries have plans to become developed countries by 2020:
  • Trinidad and Tobago becomes a developed country under the Vision 2020 development plan initiated by Prime Minister Patrick Manning [1].
  • Malaysia becomes a developed country, under the Wawasan 2020 plan initiated by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
  • Chile becomes a developed country.
  • India becomes a developed country as pledged by President A P J Abdul Kalam.
  • Oman becomes a developed country under 2020 long term development plan.
  • Philippines becomes a developed country as pledged by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
• Shanghai is set to become an "international financial centre and global shipping hub."
• If current trends continue, according to the United Nations, the Aral Sea could disappear completely by this year. ^[7]
• Volvo hopes to use radar, sonar and other advanced technologies to create a crash-proof car by 2020. ^[8]
• The IBM Institute for Business Value concluded from their study "Automotive 2020: Clarity Beyond the Chaos" that all automobiles will have some level of hybridization by 2020. ^[9] Toyota's vice president in charge of powertrain development also believes that all Toyota cars produced will be hybrid vehicles by the year 2020. ^[10]
• Cars that drive themselves on smart highways, 3-D video conferencing, artificial brain cells, artificial lungs, artificial kidneys, identification of the genetic links of all diseases - all these have been predicted for 2020. ^[11]

In fiction

Comics

• Comics set in 2020:
  • 2020 Visions (1997–1998)
  • Iron Man 2020
  • Superman 2020

Computer and video games

• Games set in 2020:
  • Raid 2020 (1989)
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (1991): The Level "Neon Night Riders" Takes place in 2020.
  • Super Baseball 2020 (1991)
  • Keitai Denjū Telefang (2000)
  • Command and Conquer: Generals (2003)
  • Perfect Dark Zero (2005)
  • Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (2006)
  • Crysis (2007)
  • Tom Clancy's EndWar (2008)
  • Half-Life 2 (2004)
  • Supreme Ruler 2020 (2008)

Film

• Films set in 2020:
  • Roujin Z (1991)
  • Mission to Mars (2000)
  • Yesterday (2002)
  • Reign of Fire (2002)
  • Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
  • Thunderbirds (2004)

Television

• Television programs set in 2020:
  • Sealab 2020 (1972)
  • Terrahawks (1983–1984)
  • Knights of God (1987)
  • C.O.P.S. (1988–1989)
  • Dark Angel (2000–2002), second half of Season One and first half of Season Two
  • Supervolcano ^[12] (2005)

Music

• Songs about 2020, or including 2020
  • Ace Enders and a Million Different People has a song on their debut CD, The Secret Wars called "Bring Back Love (Year 2020)" It is about helping the financially unstable and bringing back a general love among humans.
  • In Head Automatica's song, "Graduation Day", the music video foretold that in the year 2020, the goth girl who is graduating will become the President of the United States.
  • In Eminem's song, "We Made You", from his 2009 album Relapse, the rapper mentions the year 2020 in the outro of the song, in the line "Dr. Dre, 2020, Yeah!".

See also

• 2020 Vision

References

From Familypedia

2020 (MMXX) will be a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Pronunciation

See also: Year pronunciation

Among experts and the general public, there is a debate as to how specific years of the 21st century, including 2020, should be pronounced in English. Although the majority of English-speakers say "two thousand (and) X" for any specific year post–1999, it is often suggested that the continuation of this type of pronunciation for the entire 21st century would be inappropriate or unnatural, given the alternative "twenty X" option.

Many experts agree that majority usage of "two thousand (and) X" is a result of influences from the Y2K hype, as well as the way "2001" was pronounced in the influential 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Experts also suggest that since former years such as 1805 and 1905 were commonly pronounced as "eighteen oh" or "nineteen oh" five, the year 2005 should naturally have been pronounced as "twenty oh-five".^[1]

Many people, ranging from linguistic and academic experts to Internet bloggers, predict that the "twenty X" pronunciation method will eventually prevail, but a timeframe as to when this change will occur often differs. The year 2010 is suggested by many^[2][3], while 2011^[1] and 2013 are popular as well. The latest timeframe for change is usually placed at 2020^[1] or 2100.

According to a recent press release, David Crystal, author of the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, has predicted that the change will occur in 2011, to "twenty eleven", explaining that the way people pronounce years depends on rhythm, rather than logic. Crystal claims that the rhythm or "flow" of "two thousand (and) ten", beats out that of "twenty ten", but the flow of "twenty eleven" beats out "two thousand (and) eleven".^[1] Alternatively, Ian Brookes, editor-in-chief of Chambers Dictionary, suggests the change will occur in 2013. The UK Times has suggested 2020 as a final timeframe for the change, saying "If people can have “twenty-twenty” vision, then surely they should also live in the year “twenty twenty”."^[1]

In addition, the Vancouver olympics, taking place in 2010, are being officially referred to by Vancouver 2010 as "the twenty-ten Olympics", and the London olympics, taking place in 2012, are also being officially referred to by London 2012 as "the twenty-twelve Olympics". Chicago 2016, which operates the official Chicago bid for the 2016 games, refers to the "twenty-sixteen games".

Astronomical predictions for the Year 2020

• February 20, 2020 (the 5th Day of the Week) at Time: 20:20:20, the date will read 2020-02-20 20:20:20.

Scheduled events

• March — Yahoo! Inc.'s 25th birthday; opening of the Yahoo! Time Capsule.
• June — European Football Championship
• October 31 — Halloween, on a full moon
• November 3 — Presidential election and 117th Congressional election in the United States

Confirmed but unscheduled events

The following events will happen in 2020, but haven't been scheduled yet.

• XXXII summer Olympic Games to be held
• Last nuclear power plant in Germany to be shut down
• Schapelle Corby to be released from prison for drug trafficking in Indonesia
• The World Wrestling Entertainment will present its 33rd edition of Wrestle Mania.
• Super Bowl LIII to be held.

Anniversaries

• August 26 — 100th anniversary of the U.S. Suffragist victory, confirming the right of female citizens to vote under the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution
• May 18 — 100th anniversary of birth of Pope John Paul II

Predicted or expected events

The following events are predicted or expected to happen in 2020.

General predictions

• British newspaper The Guardian published a series of magazines in September 2004 predicting life in 2020
• Mapping the Global Future: Report of the National Intelligence Council's 2020 Project was published in December 2004 with a long-term view of the future. The NIC is the center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking within the US Government.
• In Australia, Queensland is expected to overtake Victoria as the second most populous state of the nation.
• Mayans Predict Age of Transition.

Space

• According to current plans and workings for Project Constellation, NASA should be returning Humans to the Moon by 2020.
• The Russian Federal Space Agency says that they plan to be mining helium-3 from the moon by this year.
• Earliest year that power aboard the space probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 is expected to terminate (though either probe may function past this date).
• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is expected to fly beyond Pluto and Charon to the Kuiper Belt Objects.

Military

• Future Force Warrior to be phased into United States armed forces.
• According to military analyst Thomas W. Chittum, 2020 is a likely date for the beginning of Civil War II in the United States, most probably, he predicts, in Compton due to a white gang called superfly and where, he believes, Chicano activists will declare an independent republic of Aztlan.

Politics

• Trinidad and Tobago is expected to reach the status of a developed country under the Vision 2020 development plan initiated by Prime Minister Patrick Manning.-A.I.
• Predicted proclamation of Malaysia as a developed country, under the Wawasan 2020 plan initiated by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
• India's 2020 Vision of becoming a developed, powerful, world superpower and an influential national-state is expected to be fulfilled.
• Brazil is expected to reach the status of a developed country.
• The People's Republic of China has stated it intends to take back Taiwan under Chinese rule at latest by 2020.
• The People's Republic of China is predicted to become more economically powerful than the United States by 2020, according to Mearsheimer 1991: 398.

Construction

• Completion of restoration works to the Forbidden City in the People's Republic of China.
• Completion of the National Trunk Highway System in the People's Republic of China.
• Completion of the construction of the Second Avenue Line of the New York City Subway.
• Completion of the urban revitalization of downtown Lisbon, Portugal.

Technology

• Artificial intelligence researcher and transhumanist Raymond Kurzweil, predicts that computers will have the raw computational capacities equivalent to the human brain.
• Self-driving cars on smart-highways
• 3-D video conferencing

2020 in fiction

Comics

• Comics set in 2020:
  • 2020 Visions (1997–1998)
  • Iron Man 2020
  • Superman 2020

Computer and video games

• Games set in 2020:
  • Command and Conquer: Generals (2003)
  • Perfect Dark Zero (2005)
  • Super Baseball 2020 (1991)
  • TimeSplitters (2000) (the Planet X mission)
  • Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (2006)
  • TMNT: Turtles in Time IV (1991)
  • Keitai Denjū Telefang (2000)
  • Half-Life 2 (2004)
  • Half-Life 2 Episode One (2006) - possibly because it concludes Half-Life 2
  • Crysis (2007)

Film

• Films set in 2020:
  • Roujin Z (1991)
  • Mission to Mars (2000)
  • Reign of Fire (2002)

Television

• Television programs set in 2020:
  • Knights of God (1987)
  • Sealab 2020 (1972)
  • Terrahawks (1983–1984)
  • Supervolcano (2005)

See also

• Joint Vision 2020
• India 2020

References