Have you ever thought about why English write out the number 11 as eleven?

[her209]

Instead of "tenty-one"?

Or the fact why put the smaller number first from twelve to nineteen. From twenty on, the small number always comes after the larger number.

:hmm:

 

[nsafreak]

Because it'd be entirely too easy to mispronounce or misunderstand as "twenty-one".

 

[her209]

Because it'd be entirely too easy to mispronounce or misunderstand as "twenty-one".

Not if they changed "twenty" to "twoty".

 

[sandorski]

The Illuminati wants it that way.

 

[sandorski]

Did you mean Onety-one?

French also follows the same naming convention. I suspect that if there's a reason, it's likely an Arabic one.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Every language is unique and has little relation to the subject described unless you're German. Buncha literal ninnies.

 

[her209]

Did you mean Onety-one?

That works too.

 

[Fayd]

Instead of "tenty-one"?

Or the fact why put the smaller number first from twelve to nineteen. From twenty on, the small number always comes after the larger number.

:hmm:

carryover from origin language.

Since the romance languages follow the same pattern, they descend from Latin,

I have to believe German (our origin language) follows the same pattern.

edit: yep. http://german.about.com/library/blzahlen.htm

In fact, the pattern's even more clear with German.

 

[her209]

French also follows the same naming convention. I suspect that if there's a reason, it's likely an Arabic one.

I do too. Is it because of Base-12 counting versus Base-10 counting systems?

Base-12 is cleaner to divide into halves, thirds, and quarters.

:hmm:

 

[her209]

carryover from origin language.

Since the romance languages follow the same pattern, they descend from Latin,

I have to believe German (our origin language) follows the same pattern.

edit: yep. http://german.about.com/library/blzahlen.htm

In fact, the pattern's even more clear with German.

But why do that? Why make the pronunciation and writing of 11 through 19 different from 20 through 99?

In my native tongue, the pattern is more consistent even for 11 through 19. You say "tenty" and then one.

 

[Ruptga]

Because language was not intelligently designed.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Because language was not intelligently designed.

It wasn't designed period. It evolved.

 

[her209]

Because language was not intelligently designed.

It wasn't designed period. It evolved.

According to religion, God gave us language so thus it was intelligently designed and not evolved over time.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

According to religion, God gave us language so thus it was intelligently designed and not evolved over time.

It started evolving after we were given free will.

 

[brainhulk]

The written 11 looks like erect elf ears

 

[Imp]

Because language was not intelligently designed.

The Chinese did a better job of it... Past tense and future tense, you just add an extra sound or two. No conjugations. And the number system is solid base 10 with 11 being ten-one, 21 is two-ten-one.

Too bad they went elitist and fuc*ed up the writing system. Sound it out? No, we should make it near impossible to read without being told what the character's for!

French 11 is onze. Goes onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze, seize, six-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf. Hit 70 and it's soixant-dix (60-10), 90 is quatre-vingt-dix (4-20-10).

My Spanish sucks, but 11 is once, doce, trece, catorce, quince, dieciseis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve. They actually have different roots for 70 (setenta) and 90 (noventa) though.

 

[GasX]

From twenty on, the small number always comes after the larger number.

so 12 + 12 = 42 ?

 

[mikeymikec]

Instead of "tenty-one"?

Sounds like a guy with a boner.

 

[mikeford]

This is why I use roman numberal, great fun when writing a check or leaving a tip.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Why not oneteen?

 

[WHAMPOM]

Instead of "tenty-one"?

Or the fact why put the smaller number first from twelve to nineteen. From twenty on, the small number always comes after the larger number.

:hmm:

"cause most people have twenty digits and different names for those numbers are the most natural linguistic result. Who needed to count higher then a dozen in every day use anyway? Higher numbers where for merchants and tax collectors skimming a bit off the top.

edit: forgot "score" and "decade". Century, centurion, we get a lot of counting hold-overs from the Roman Legion.

 

[arkcom]

firsteen, seconteen, thirteen

 

[sandorski]

Upon further thought, a 12 Base number system may be the cause. Probably a Dark Ages number system based upon the 12 Apostles or perhaps some holdover from the Roman Empire based upon the Months of the year.

 

[norseamd]

I do too. Is it because of Base-12 counting versus Base-10 counting systems? Base-12 is cleaner to divide into halves, thirds, and quarters.

Base 8 and base 16 divide more cleanly.

 

[norseamd]

But why do that? Why make the pronunciation and writing of 11 through 19 different from 20 through 99? In my native tongue, the pattern is more consistent even for 11 through 19. You say "tenty" and then one.

What is your first language?