Why not 20th Century being 2000- 2999?
In: 0
0001-0100: the first century
0101-0200: the second century
etc.
1701-1800: the eighteenth century
1801-1900: the nineteenth century
etc.
The words “first” and “twentieth” are *ordinal* counting. When you are born, it is the beginning of your first year of life, and when you turn 1 year old your first year ends and your second year begins. You are usually described as being “1 year old” for your entire second year, then you turn 2 and your third year begins.
We don’t usually describe our personal ages as being “in the Xth year” because that’s just the way we talk. We do the opposite for centuries: right now we might say that Jesus is “20 centuries old” and won’t turn 21 until the year 2100, but that still means it’s the twenty-first century since his birth.
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