Real-Life Weirdness

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Hans Rancke-Madsen

What do you mean, "we"? I say [seven and four and a half scores].


Hans

Yes, but everything becomes much clearer once you realize that the Danish counting system was invented by aliens from the fifth dimension.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Anders

Yes, but everything becomes much clearer once you realize that the Danish counting system was invented by aliens from the fifth dimension.

And if they ever say their age backwards, they're sent back.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

The really silly part is all the convoluted subtraction/addition rather than specific base number, in my opinion.
We say 97, not 10 times 10 minus 3.

"Four score and seven years ago..."
"Quarter to twelve"

English is just as guilty.

[Flyndaran]

It's cheating to use the very few examples of English detouring off base ten.
Everything circle related is base 360 and time is in units of 60, 12, and 7. Yet I would laugh at anyone saying English isn't base 10.

[Irish Wolf]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

The really silly part is all the convoluted subtraction/addition rather than specific base number, in my opinion.
We say 97, not 10 times 10 minus 3.

You mean "nine times ten plus seven"?

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

It's cheating to use the very few examples of English detouring off base ten.
Everything circle related is base 360 and time is in units of 60, 12, and 7. Yet I would laugh at anyone saying English isn't base 10.

Using subtraction in no way changes the number-base of a language or a subset of language.

That being said, English has base-60 for time, indeed, complete with 'quarter' meaning '15 of the lower unit'. Which makes English have no less than two bases, one for time within a day, one for other stuff. Just like the language that uses a different base for shields.
Eggs are counted by dozens in the Anglophone parts of the world, IIRC. (Around here, having a 10-pack of eggs is perfectly reasonable, but apparently this is a local thing.)

[Anders]

Oh yes, we have base 10, base 12 (for some food items), base 60 (for time), base 360 (for degrees).

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Eggs are counted by dozens in the Anglophone parts of the world, IIRC.

Actually, by dozens and grosses (a gross is a dozen dozen).

Baked goods by the gross and dozen as well, but usually the dozen is 13 by custom, while the gross remains 12 dozen no matter whether the dozen is the standard dozen or the baker's dozen. The gross is falling out of common use.

So there's also base 12.

And "Traditional English Measure" as we call it... (which everyone else calls US customary measure)

4 dram = 1 tbsp
1 1/3 dram = 1tsp
3 tsp =1 tbsp
2 tbsp = 8 dram = 1 fl. oz.
4 fl oz = 1 gill
8 fl oz = 2 gill = 1 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart =( one-quarter gallon)
2 quarts = half gallon
4 quarts = 2 half gallons = 1 gallon
2 gallons = peck

12 inches = 1 foot...
4 inches = 1 hand
3 hands = 1 foot.
3 feet = 1 yard
2 yards = 1 fathom
5.5 yd = 1 rod
4 rods = chain
40 rods = 10 chain = 1 Furlong (used mostly in horse racing)
8 Furlong = 5280 feet = 1 statute mile.
League = 3 miles

a mix of base 2 and base 3 steps,

And then, until 1965, the UK's "LSD money"... using 3, 4, and 5 in no particular pattern...
4 farthings = 1d (pence, also written -/1)
12d = 1s (shilling) (also written 1/-)
20s = £1 (pound)
4d = 1 groat
3 groats = 1s
2s = 1 florin
2/5 = 1 half-crown
5s = 1 crown (also called 1 dollar)
2 crowns = 1 half-sovereign
4 crowns = £1 = 1 sovereign
21s = 1 guinea = £1 1/-
A mix of alternating 4's and 3's with a 5...

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by ak_aramis

Baked goods ... usually the dozen is 13 by custom

Sometimes I see a baker's dozen, most often with doughnuts, once in a while with cookies. I wouldn't stretch the frequency to "usually", though. It's an occasional goodwill bonus with treats. I don't think I've ever seen 13 rolls in a package, for instance, or bagels.

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Sometimes I see a baker's dozen, most often with doughnuts, once in a while with cookies. I wouldn't stretch the frequency to "usually", though. It's an occasional goodwill bonus with treats. I don't think I've ever seen 13 rolls in a package, for instance, or bagels.

I have but not in the last 10 years. Essentially, not in big-box world. Last time I bought bagels at a mom-n-pop type bakery, there were thirteen in the box; two rows of 6, and on sideways in the center...

the baker's dozen is fading, but it's still present in some places, and worth noting.