Lecture Notes: Why Do Germans Say Numbers Backwards?

Introduction

• Presentation begins with an old English nursery rhyme, but numbers spoken in reverse like in German.
• Questions addressed:
  • Why do Germans say numbers in that order?
  • Does it confuse them?
  • Could it be changed?

German Number System

• Numbers from 1 to 12: Same as English.
• Teens (13-19): Similar structure as English.
• From 20 onwards:
  • English: Numbers continue in sequence (twenty-one, twenty-two, etc.).
  • German: Numbers are said in reverse order (einundzwanzig, zweiundzwanzig, etc.).
• Example for complex number: Einhundertdreiundzwanzigtausend- vierhundertsechsundfünfzig.

Historical Context

• Origins in Roman numerals:
  • Numbers denoted by letters, added together regardless of order.
• Introduction of Indo-Arabic numerals from Arabia (originated in India):
  • Each symbol has different values depending on position.
  • Adopted in Europe, but with a left-to-right reading system unlike Arabic's right-to-left.
• Influence on European languages:
  • English and German used both "twenty-one" and "one-and-twenty" systems.
  • Over time, languages settled on one order aligned with digit reading.
  • German retained the "one-and-twenty" system.

Impact and Influence

• Potential confusion in mathematics and mental arithmetic.
• Speculation about Martin Luther's influence through Bible translation.
• Some German speakers find easier calculation in native language.
• English has similar inconsistency in the teens (e.g., fourteen).

Possibility of Change

• Debate on changing the German number system to the "twenty-one" order.
• Arguments against:
  • System is ingrained, change may cause more confusion.
• Arguments for:
  • Other languages have made similar changes successfully (e.g., Norwegian in 1951).
  • Bilingual counting systems exist (e.g., Welsh).
• Possible gradual adaptation over generations.

Conclusion

• Changing German number pronunciation is possible, though challenging.
• The example of the nursery rhyme concludes with reassurance: "four and twenty blackbirds" get out alive.