90

[squodge.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I've learned that in Russian the number 50, 60, 70, 80 are formed from 5-10, 6-10, 7-10, 8-10, e.g. fifty is pyatdyesyat.

So for the number 90, it's obviously not 9-10. To me, it looks like it could mean 9/10ths of 100 dyevano-sto. Can anyone verify the etymology of 90? THANKS ^__^

~ squodge ~

Comments

[gvadelupa.livejournal.com]

You're right -- devyanosto means "9 tens of 100". You can read answer on the same question in russian here (http://spravka.gramota.ru/buro.html?gotoq=136474+).

[orloffm.livejournal.com]

Well, it is. The famous Vladimir Dal's book says: "сто безъ десяти".

[vladon.livejournal.com]

nine tens of 100 (девять [десятков] на сто = девять десятков из сотни)

[nemica.livejournal.com]

Hah! Anyway it's better than French 'four-twenty-ten' (4 x 20 + 10). $)

[suffisch.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, Czech kept the more "regular" pattern:
90 in Czech is (attempt at phonetic spelling, since I don';t know the proper one ;-) dEvet'desEt.

[tightlink.livejournal.com]

You better explain 40 (сорок) to me. Why 20,30,50,60 are all formed the same why, but 40 is not?