The most logical counting systems use words that reflect the structure of this system and have regular, straightforward rules – but many languages use complicated and messy conventions instead. Nearly all cultures today use the same decimal, or base-10, number system, which arranges the digits 0-9 into units, tens and hundreds, and so on. In fact, one Western country actually overhauled its entire counting system within the last century, to make it easier to teach and do mathematics. But it’s not just a matter of semantics – as early as 1798 scientists suggested that that the language we learn to count in could impact our numerical ability. Other languages do a much better job of describing digits. Which is why it might surprise you to hear that the English for 92 isn’t a great way to describe the number, and some languages are even worse. By the time we’re adults, the connection between numerals and their names is almost automatic, so we barely give them a second thought. If I asked you to write down the number “ninety-two”, you wouldn’t have to think twice.
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