Home>Miscellaneous Articles>Why do some people say 11 hundred, 12 hundred, etc. instead of one thousand one hundred, one thousand two hundred? When did this way of speaking date and where did it come from?
Why do some people say 11 hundred, 12 hundred, etc. instead of one thousand one hundred, one thousand two hundred? When did this way of speaking date and where did it come from?
Why do some people say 11 hundred, 12 hundred, etc. instead of one thousand one hundred, one thousand two hundred? When did this way of speaking date and where did it come from?
Why do some people say 11 hundred, 12 hundred, etc. instead of one thousand one hundred, one thousand two hundred?
There is a historical and cultural explanation for why some people use the phrase "11 hundred" instead of "thousand hundred." The sources consulted suggest that this comes from the influence of Germanic cultures on the French language.
How and why?
Saying "11 hundred" instead of "one thousand one hundred" stems from an ancient tradition of numbering and calculation used by some Germanic peoples. When these people counted, they separated hundreds from thousands by using the word "hundert" which means "one hundred" in German, instead of the expression "mille hundred" used in French.
For example, in German, “1100” is “elfhundert” (eleven hundred) instead of “eintausendeinhundert” (one thousand one hundred). This way of speaking then spread to certain regional dialects of France, particularly in regions bordering Germany.
Today, these expressions are still used by some people, particularly in eastern France, where geographic proximity to Germany has favored linguistic influence.
When?
The tradition of saying “11 hundred” instead of “thousand hundred” dates back centuries. However, it is difficult to pin down an exact date, as it developed gradually over time, mainly in areas bordering Germany.
Or?
This way of speaking is mainly widespread in eastern France, particularly in the border regions with Germany. However, it is possible to find speakers of these expressions in other regions of France.
Who? When? Or? How?
People who use this way of speaking are generally those who have been influenced by the geographical proximity to Germany and who grew up in regions bordering that country. They learned this expression from their parents and those around them.
It is important to note that using the phrase "11 hundred" instead of "thousand hundred" is more common in informal conversations than in more formal contexts.
Figures, studies and examples
There are no specific statistical studies on the use of the expression "11 hundred" instead of "one thousand one hundred". However, informal surveys suggest that this way of speaking is more common among older people and in regions bordering Germany.
In conclusion, the use of the expression "11 cent" instead of "mille cent" is linked to the historical and cultural influence of Germanic peoples on the French language, particularly in the border regions with Germany. This way of speaking dates back several centuries and is still used today in certain regions of France.
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