4 ms·
13 -> thirteen -> three ten 14 -> fourteen -> four ten 15 -> fifteen -> five ten whereas 11 -> eleven -> why not oneteen? 12 -> twelve -> why not twot
by ojanik 11y ago
13 -> thirteen -> three ten
14 -> fourteen -> four ten
15 -> fifteen -> five ten
whereas
11 -> eleven -> why not oneteen?
12 -> twelve -> why not twoteen?
- ane 11y agoGermanic languages have a peculiarity in the words eleven and twelve, they stem from "one left" and "two left", respectively [0]. Cognates in German elf and zwölf, Swedish elv and tolv. [0] "Cardinal Numerals: Old English from a Cross-Linguistic Perspective", http://bit.ly/1HhPzOB http://bit.ly/1HhPzOB, page 161.
- RBerenguel 11y agoInteresting. Worth noting Spanish, French, Catalan and probably some more connected languages I'm not so familiar with are irregular up to 16 (17 is akin to 10-7, whereas 11-16 follow other rules)
- riffraff 11y agoleft of what? (or from what?)
- ane 11y agoOf ten. "One ... two ... [...] ten... and one and another.
- fit2rule 11y agoOkay now I get it. Start counting on your left hand. 1 .. 5, left-side, 6 .. 10, right-side. One-left, is "one full set of fingers, plus a left", repeating again, 11. Two left, 12. 3-ten, you change to a number count, because .. why not? It is self-documented .. and thus easier to teach. Maybe?
- saraid216 11y agoThe reason, if anyone is wondering, is because of their base meanings: eleven -> one left twelve -> two left thirteen -> three and ten fourteen -> four and ten According to the OED, the only non-Germanic language that uses "one left" is Lithuanian, which uses it from 11 to 19.