The History of English Podcast Episode 114: The Craft of Numbering
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Jul 26, 2018 This podcast explores the history of number words, tracing back to Indo-European roots and the replacement of Roman numerals with Hindu Arabic numerals in England. It discusses the use of tally sticks and stones for counting, the development of numbering systems, and the evolution of number words like 'one' and 'two'. It also explores the slow acceptance of Hindu Arabic numerals in England and their impact on arithmetic and science.
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Ancient Roots Of English Numerals
- Most basic English number words trace back over a thousand years to Old English and Proto-Indo-European roots.
- Middle English began borrowing numeric terms from French, Latin, and Greek, expanding options like double, couple, and single.
Hindu-Arabic System Transformed Arithmetic
- The Hindu-Arabic numerals arrived in England in the 1300s and gradually replaced Roman numerals over centuries.
- Their place-value system and zero enabled far easier arithmetic but required teaching, documented in The Craft of Numbering.
Notched Bones To Tally Sticks
- Archaeologists found 20,000–30,000-year-old notched bones used for counting by running a thumb along notches.
- Medieval tally sticks and the word score (from Old Norse) continued this notched-mark counting tradition into English.