Numbers are presupposed to be common, proper? They’re the language of math and that transcends language. Simple peasy. Effectively, that’s what I assumed till I moved to France and located myself stunned by all of the methods the French use numbers otherwise than how we do within the U.S.
5 Methods France & the U.S. use numbers otherwise
One of many first issues we study as language learners is the way to depend. For some purpose, numbers have a tendency to stay with us. I feel I can nonetheless depend to 10 in Spanish from my six-week Spanish elective in center faculty. They’re simple sufficient! However past the precise numbers, the way in which we use numbers in numerous cultures might be fairly attention-grabbing.
Who knew that the identical digits might trigger a lot confusion? Individuals and the French use numbers in surprisingly alternative ways. And whereas these variations might be fascinating, they will additionally result in some fairly entertaining misunderstandings.
On this publish, I’ll break down 5 ways in which the U.S. and France use numbers otherwise… and that is only the start! Whether or not you’re planning to journey, transfer, or are simply interested by how cultures form even our most elementary ideas, you’ll discover it attention-grabbing and, hopefully, a bit entertaining. Let’s go!
1. Relying on palms
As children, we study to depend our palms. One finger for one, two for 2, and so forth…. Besides the fingers we study on in numerous nations aren’t the identical!
Within the U.S., our pointer finger is one (the finger subsequent to the thumb), two is that one plus the center finger. In France, one is the thumb and two is the thumb and pointer finger subsequent to it.
It’s best to grasp if I simply present you through a photograph beneath. Thanks to Tom, the hand mannequin.
Tom mentioned the 4 can go both approach. It relies on whether or not he’s counting sequentially on his hand or simply exhibiting somebody he wants 4 of one thing.
2. Flooring of buildings
This one actually tripped me up once I first arrived in France and is one thing I nonetheless double test myself on each within the U.S. and France (if I’m not utilizing an elevator, that’s, the place all it’s important to do is press the appropriate button).
In France, the bottom flooring that’s at avenue degree is taken into account flooring zero or the rez de chaussée (RDC). You’ll see RDC on elevators and meaning the bottom flooring or foyer of a constructing. The primary flooring is one flight up.
Within the U.S., the bottom flooring is the primary flooring and in the event you go up one flight of stairs, that’s the second flooring. You may see how this might simply confuse an uninformed vacationer or newcomer.
Within the early days, there have been occasions once I’d present as much as an appointment and even a trip residence rental on the incorrect flooring. I even knocked on the incorrect door as soon as and had a really confused aged girl in pajamas questioning who the heck woke her up and why. Ooops.
You study this distinction fairly shortly, but it surely’s one to concentrate on so you possibly can keep away from any awkward conditions.
3. Telling time
In France, it’s fairly widespread for folks to make use of a 24-hr clock when telling time. As an alternative of claiming an appointment is at 1 p.m., it might be 13 o’clock (13h, treize heures). There’s no a.m./p.m. in French to distinguish, so the 24-hr clock makes it clear.
An appointment at 6 p.m. is 18h, dix-huit heures), and so forth. You’ll see and listen to occasions referred to love this on TV schedules, when making docs’ appointments with the secretary, film occasions, and many others. French folks do additionally use the 12-hr clock however in much less formal conditions when chatting with others. In print, the 24-hr clock is what’s mostly used.
Whereas it’s not fully international to Individuals, navy time/24-hr clock isn’t extensively used within the U.S. We’ll say let’s meet at 8 p.m. or eight within the night, to be clear we’re not speaking in regards to the morning. Nobody would actually say 20 o’clock or twenty-hundred hours… except you’re within the navy.
Once I first moved, though I used to be accustomed to the 24-hr clock, it took me a bit follow to study it just like the again of my hand. Generally I’d catch myself writing 6pm for 16h (it’s 4 p.m.) as a result of I noticed the 6 or 4 p.m. for 14h (it’s 2 p.m.) once I wasn’t listen.
I confirmed up at an appointment late as soon as due to this. However after making the error as soon as, you’ll affirm and reconfirm an appointment so that you’re 100% certain you wrote down the time appropriately.
P.S Form of tangentially associated, somebody informed me the opposite day to ask a teen below 15 to learn the time on a mechanical watch (one with palms, not digital) and see what occurs. I requested my neighbor and he had no clue the way to learn a clock with palms. I assume children aren’t studying to learn precise clocks as of late as a result of telephones and even watches are digital. In case you have a younger teen, let me know if they will inform time! 😉
8 Issues which are calculated otherwise in France >>
4. There’s a phrase for 10 of one thing
The French have the phrase dozen, 12 of one thing, identical to we do in English. The French phrase is douzaine. Douze is 12 in French. However in addition they have one other useful phrase to imply 10 of one thing. The phrase for 10 is dix, so a dizaine is 10.
We don’t have this phrase in English. The phrase ten doesn’t actually lend itself very naturally to tenzen. However I assume the equal (if it existed) could be dizen (utilizing the French root dix) for the reason that English phrase dozen appears to be from the French phrase douze. Perhaps I ought to begin saying dizen and see if it catches on….
5. Phrases for 70 and up in French require math
Studying French numbers is all enjoyable and video games till you get to 70. It’s soixante-dix, which is actually sixty-ten. Eighty is quatre-vingt, actually four-twenty. Ninety is much more enjoyable and is quatre-vingt-dix, four-twenty-ten. You with me?
Generally even as we speak, I nonetheless ask folks to repeat their cellphone numbers if I’m not 100% assured I obtained it the primary time, particularly in the event that they don’t pause between the numbers and so they all get slurred collectively. Even when I’m assured, I nonetheless ask folks to repeat only for good measure. Numbers actually are that difficult!
Go determine… within the French-speaking a part of Belgium, they’ve very logical phrases for 70 and 90, septante and nonante, respectively, which take after the Latin root. Surprisingly, they nonetheless say quatre-vingt for 80, octante doesn’t exist.
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Hope you realized a couple of issues about how the French and Individuals use numbers!
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