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Whether they are intervals or points in time, there appears to be a consensus that Ma stands for "mega-annum" with a plural "mega-annums", and correspondingly for a, ka and Ga. I presume what is involved is the Latin for "year". This is "annus" in the nominative singular, the standard form for citation. Why "annum", the accusative singular is used, I don't know (perhaps greater familiarity from phrases such as "per annum"), but it is. "Anna" in Latin is only a feminine personal name and there is no excuse for using it to mean years. Daniel J. Milton
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