David (in Normandy) wrote:
I do recall thinking that their numbering system of
septante and nonante for seventy and ninety was a great deal more
'sensible'
than that of the French!
Sacha

I'm still learning the language and am just about there with the numbers
now. A few months ago I made quite a blunder in the local bricolage store
though. I'd stacked 16 fencing stakes on my trolley and the lady on the
checkout asked me how many I'd got. My mind went blank, then I thought 17 is
dix-sept and 18 is dix-huit so therefore 16 must be dix-six. So I said "J'ai
dix-six" - and got the most peculiar look back. She repeated the question
and I pointed at the stakes and repeated "J'ai dix-six" and I got another
weird look, so she got out of her chair came round and counted them herself
then exclaimed "Ah! Seize!". It wasn't until I got home that I twigged why I
got such a strange look - when she asked me how many, I was in effect saying
"They are dead!".

Er.. no. You were simply saying... something unintelligible.

Dix-six might sound like decease to your English ear, but it just
sounded like gobbledigook to the sales assistant.
They are dead would be ils sont décédés - not quite j'ai dix-six.

Cat(h)