Features of numerals in French. French royal justice system

This series of posts is dedicated to our compatriots, for whom the word Sorbonne is something sacred, along with Oxford, Cambridge and Stanford. For those who have already understood the French education system, some details can be very useful.

So. What is higher education in France? As in many other countries, this is the key to the first or several first jobs that a graduate dreams of getting immediately after graduation. So it is in France. But, as you know, France is a non-standard country, so all unique, then there is a specificity in education that should be taken into account by the future applicant.

So what is so interesting about the graduates of this or that university? And the fact that a diploma received at 22 will be needed on every floor of career growth, if a person is going to stay working all his life in France. Yes, yes, that's right, with the necessary diploma you can reach the head of the transport department (more precisely, the director large company, for example, Total, Carrefour, etc.), but not with the other. Why? Yes, all because diplomas in France have a certain hierarchy, which began to form even under Louis 14 and in our days has taken on offensively banal forms. What does it mean? This means that if a person has a certain diploma in France, he can relax: he will not have problems with work. The most a shining example is a dimple of Ecole Polytechnic - a graduate of this institution has a salary of at least 4000 euros upon leaving school and career growth in comparison with other schools is simply incomparable.

Schools with caste status can be found on this website:

The first 10 schools marked with the A + mark are 100% guaranteed to have no problems working in France. How do you get there, you ask? After school to take the entrance exam? Paying a lot of money to the rector? No, no and NO. You can get there in several ways, but only one way is the main (authentic) - through the prepa (prépa).

Damn, again some kind of garbage. And what is prepa? A prepa, or rather preparatory classes http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classe_pr%C3%A9paratoire_aux_grandes_%C3%A9coles is an institution that prepares for entrance exams to these very schools. Within 2 years, graduates of lyceums (after 17-18 years old) prepare an entrance exam, the material of which corresponds to approximately 1,2 and 3 courses of our Russian technical university, for example, Baumanki. After entering one of the schools, further specialization goes in the sector to which the school belongs. In addition to Ekol Polytechnic, which is a military school and there are a lot of subjects related to the army.

How to get into prepa? And which prepa are good and which are not?

You can get into the prepa only by the dossier, there is no exam there. The dossier contains all the marks for the last 3 or 2 years of schooling, recommendations of teachers in mathematics, physics and biology (to which the student does not have access, this is available only to the examination committee). Well, the lyceum, in which those who want to get into the teacher study, are also of colossal importance. 10 out of 20 in mathematics at a famous Parisian lyceum have more weight than 18/20 in a small lyceum somewhere in Saint Malo.

Engineering has 4 inputs and 5 outputs. Here are the outputs:
- maths, physics
- physics chemistry
- physics - engineering
- physics - technology
- biology

Having started the first year of the teacher, the second one needs to study in the same type in which the first one started, but some can be changed
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Classes_%281%29.png

For each exit there is a separate exam in engineering schools, the subjects taken have a different coefficient. Most schools offer the opportunity to enroll for each exit, with a varying number of places offered.

In the second year of study, without having finished the teacher yet (you can study in the teacher for 2 or 3 years, sometimes 4, but rarely), applicants sign up for exams on this site.

here, by the way, a lot useful information, for example, statistics on lyceums of admission to Ekol Polytechnic of the first type of teacher graduates:

(see the penultimate column - Intégrés).

It is easy to see that the main suppliers of the French elite come from the following lyceums:

Lyon Lycée du Parc
Paris Lycée Stanislas
Paris 5e Lycée Henri IV
Paris 5e Lycée Louis Le Grand
Paris 6e Lycée Saint-Louis
Versailles Lycée Hoche
Versailles Lycée Sainte Geneviève

About 50-70% of the students who got into these prepa, studied in these lyceums (except for Lycée Sainte Geneviève) before the matriculation certificate, the rest come from similar lyceums without a teacher.

Once in one of these prep, the student has a great chance to become the French elite. Interesting moment, graduates of the Polytechnic come out with the rank of lieutenant, that is, they can command soldiers, if cho.

The first year of the teacher cannot be duplicated, only the second is possible, very many do this without enrolling in A + schools, trying to get into them the next year. One Grand Ecole exam can unite several schools without enrolling in the most prestigious one, a student can go to a lower school, etc. Therefore, the teacher's students usually sign up for all competitions, and then they will see which one will take.

All of these schools are almost free of charge (600 euros per year), some of which are renowned teachers (Lycée Sainte Geneviève).

In parallel with technical prepa, there are commercial and literary prepa, but this has its own specifics, especially for literary ones. Commercial teachers do not have much choice of specializations, the most important thing is to get into one of 3 schools, for example, NES.

To be continued.

Compound Forms and Decimal Number System

Many are surprised that during French for counting use "inconvenient" and "strange" forms of numbers. For example, with the existing merged forms indicating ten after the units to designate 11, 12 ... 16 (onze, douze ... seize), for further counting, French speakers will call the numbers "ten - seven", "ten - eight", "ten - nine "(17 - dix-sept, 18 - dix-huit, 19 - dix-neuf).

But the forms of numbers starting from 70 seem even more unusual. Instead of merged forms, similar to the previous tens (30-trente, 40-quarante, 50-cinquante, 60-soixante), in most French-speaking regions, forms based on the twenty number system are used: 80 - quatre-vingts (4 * 20), 90 - quatre-vingt-dix (4 * 20 + 10) and mixed forms: 70 - soixante-dix (60 + 10). Let us consider both of these features of French numerals in more detail - we will identify the roots of their appearance and the features of modern use.

1. Transition from simple to compound forms

Why are the numbers from 11 to 16 prime but become composite starting at 17? The roots of this transition must be sought in Latin.

Units in Latin had to be set up to ten: in French it would be un-dix, deux-dix, etc. And in the classical Latin language there was a "contraction": quinque and decem = quindecim, sex and decem = sedecim. Hence, in French onze, douze ... seize. It should be noted that Latin also had deductible forms for 18 and 19, equivalent to deux de vingt (20-2) and un de vingt (20-1).

Then the indication of ten was no longer put in the post position, but was brought forward. That is, in late Latin, a paraphrase with a ten at the head was used: dece et septe. These forms have become mandatory for last numbers ten, because deductible forms 18 and 19 have ceased to be used, as well as other deductible forms 28, 29, 38, 39, etc.

The Latin roots of this feature is confirmed by the fact that for some other neo-Latin (modern European) languages ​​a similar transition is characteristic. Examples of names of numerals from 10 to 20 in Latin and some modern European languages ​​are presented in the table:

Based on these examples, 2 groups of modern European languages, in which the transition from simple to compound forms manifests itself from 15 to 16 (Spanish, Portuguese, etc.) and from 16 to 17 (French, Catalan, etc.).

2. Decimal number system

Of particular interest is the twenty-digit number system - its origin and trace in modern French. The decimal numbering system (counting by twenty) is a numbering system that uses the number 20 as a notation base. The origin of the decimal system in French continues to be a controversial issue. Three hypotheses have been put forward. They are not mutually exclusive, they should be seen as complementary to each other.

The first hypothesis is pre-Indo-European origin

It is based on the fact that the population, who in the past lived with the Celts, then with the Romanesque peoples, influenced their manner of counting. This theory makes it possible to explain some of the features of the spread of the twenty count among European languages. For example, the Celtic population, and therefore the Indo-European, could have been influenced in the area of ​​continental Gaul through the use of the twenty-digit numeral system in the Breton and Gaelic languages. However, this hypothesis is refuted by the fact that the places previously occupied by the Ligurs - representatives of non-Indo-European peoples - are exactly the places where the Latin form "ten" remained the longest. There is also evidence that the pre-Indo-European population counted the Etruscans in the tens, as in Latin.

Second hypothesis - Celtic origin

According to this theory, the Gallic tribes were considered twenty (the Gauls are one of the branches of the Celtic tribes). The Celts lived in the territories of Provence, Germany, Great Britain and even made them feel their influence on the Latin pronunciation and vocabulary. However, the hypothesis of the Gallic origin of the twenty count is not very common and has limited evidence. If the Gauls had used the twenty-digit number system for a long time, more and more details would have been written about it. In addition, there were many different Gallic tribes and therefore it is more likely that the different Gauls counted differently: some in twenties, others in tens. And the Celtic tribes were also not considered all twenty, and those who did it belonged to a minority in the regions already inhabited by other peoples.

The third hypothesis is Norman origin

It seems the most likely. Trade relations existed with Normandy and, therefore, the Vikings of Danish origin could have brought this linguistic custom to France. Particularly interesting in this theory is that the Norman dialects, which penetrated with the conquerors in Great Britain, were already absolutely "French" and, therefore, used the already accepted count of ten, contrary to the traditions of their ancestors, who counted twenty. In less than a century, the Normans lost their Danish language, although their transition to France left traces in it, but in England they had a different influence due to their Frenchization.

In general, it can be assumed that Norman dialects had a major influence on counting, but using the preceding substrate. That is, the Gauls were not considered all twenty, but some of them used two systems at the same time, having adopted the twenty system from the previous population. In the absence of Latin, the pre-Indo-European practice of counting began again in Gascony and Brittany. The introduction of Norman dialects in the 10th century made it possible to spread the twenty-digit counting in the Seine river basin.

So, the twenty count is found in some sources of the XI century. It received the greatest distribution in the Middle Ages. In the 17th century in the language one can observe the competition between both systems of counting. For example, Moliere and other authors use various forms of numbers in their works. In Moliere, Frozin in the play "The Miser" flatters Harpagon, speaking of his longevity: "Par ma foi, je disais cent ans, mais vous passerez les six-vingts (6 * 20)"(Act II, Scene 5). But the same Moliere writes in the work "Bourgeois in the nobility": "Quatre mille trois cent septante— neuf(79) livres douze sous huit deniers à votre marchand ”(Act III, Scene 4). Six vingts (six twenties) are used by Boileau, Racine, La Bruyere, Fenelon. However, the use of the twenty count still seems outdated in that era.

At the end of the Middle Ages, the twenty-digit system was superseded by the decimal number system (trente, quarante, cinquante, soixante), with the exception of the twenty preceding hundred numbers (quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-dix), as well as a dozen of mixed numbers (soixante-dix ). The full twenty count lives on in French as a memory in the name of the Quinze-Vingts hospital (15 × 20). This hospital was founded by Saint Louis in 1260 for the blind and was designed to receive three hundred people - hence the name "fifteen twenties".

In the 17th century, the French Academy and dictionary authors took the forms soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-dix instead of septante, octante, nonante. However, the names 70, 80 and 90 on a decimal basis remain in use in some French-speaking regions.

Usage examples different forms for numbers 70, 80, 90 in modern French are presented in the table:

Huitante is used in French Switzerland in the cantons de Vaud and Friborg, octante is almost never used in the French-speaking world, with the exception of a few villages in the canton of Friborg. In the Swiss cantons de Genève, du Jura, the quatre-vingts form is used.

In conclusion, we can highlight common reasons features of the use of numerals - historically established traditions, features of the previous language and the influence of other languages. And also on the basis of the analysis carried out, it can be concluded that the features of numerals are closely related to shared history development of the French language. You can see traces of the extinct Latin, as well as observe the influence of other peoples on the linguistic customs (in particular, the counting system) of French-speaking regions, the transformation and development of the language, the synthesis of various linguistic customs in the modern language.

Androsova A.V.

France is a dynamically developing European country, part of the EU and the Schengen area. The popularity and prestige of local education among foreign students, including from the CIS, is growing every year. The reason for this is the excellent learning conditions and job prospects in the EU countries. What kind distinctive features has a French education? What do foreign applicants need to enroll in local universities?

Features of the education system in France

France's education system is centralized, and its policies are fully controlled by the Ministry of National Education. There are over 60,000 educational institutions of various levels in the country, up to 20% of which are private. At the same time, the total number of students is more than 15 million people.

The main language of instruction is French. Several universities have developed and implemented courses for foreign students in English.

Important: the teaching of religion is prohibited in primary and secondary schools.

The French education system includes several stages

When does the school year start in France

Duration school year standardized at the level of the Ministry of National Education. All over the country, children start school in early September and finish in early July. Holidays are expected throughout the year:

1. Autumn, timed to the Day of All Saints ( the last week October and the first week of November - 2 weeks).
2. Christmas and New Years (2 weeks).
3. Winter (2 weeks in mid-February).
4. Spring timed to coincide with Easter (2 weeks in mid-April).
5. Summer (2 months - from July to September).

Structure educational system consists of 3 levels.

Elementary education

Primary educational institutions - preschool educational institutions (nurseries, kindergartens) and primary schools.

Preschool institutions

Nursery is attended by children from 2 months to 2 years, and kindergartens - from 2 to 5. They work, as a rule, during the working day (7: 30-18: 30) or several hours a day. An extended day is also possible in agreement with the management.

Children 2-5 years old in France attend kindergartens

There are no groups in the nursery, all the kids are together. In kindergartens, there is a division into two subgroups - up to 4 years old and from 4 to 5 years old. In the first, children play, communicate with each other, and in the second, they sing, draw and practice other creative skills, walk on fresh air and study the world around them.

The indigenous population does not seek to send their children to preschool educational institutions, since they attend a large number of children of immigrants.

A child can attend a preschool educational institution only at the request of the parents.

Primary School

Primary school facilities are attended by children aged 6-11. The training program includes 5 classes.

Before primary school, children must attend additional school preparation courses at kindergartens.

The first grade is school preparatory courses taught within kindergarten... Here children learn to write, read, colloquial speech and independence. Study in subsequent classes is carried out within the walls primary schools. Syllabus includes disciplines such as mathematics, speech, writing, ethics, drawing, communication.

Gifted children under the guidance of teachers can be transferred to senior classes.

Every child in France must attend primary school.

Video: the French primary education system

Secondary (school) education

Secondary educational institutions - colleges and lyceums. In this case, the numbering of classes here is reversed (from 6 to 1 grade + graduation).

Colleges

Colleges are junior high schools. Children 11-15 years old study here (total 4 years of study: 6-3 grades). The educational process is divided into cycles:

1. Adaptive (grade 6). Children from elementary schools are accepted here without entrance tests. The program is aimed at consolidating and systematizing the knowledge gained earlier. It includes one foreign language of the student's choice.
2. Basic (grades 5–4). The main goal is to deepen the existing skills and knowledge, as well as the selection of the most suitable direction of study in the lyceum. Natural sciences and several foreign languages optionally.
3. Professional (3rd grade). Specialization takes place in one of the areas - general, professional, technical. At the end of the cycle, a national exam is passed.

College studies are compulsory. Upon graduation from these institutions, certificates of completion of incomplete secondary education are issued.

Lyceums

Lyceum - senior high school, where children 15-18 years old study (3 classes in general) and after graduation take exams. Lyceums are divided into general, technological and professional (analogous to Russian vocational schools). Professionals conduct entrance tests for applicants, while registration is required in other types of institutions.

Lyceum graduates receive diplomas with which they can enter universities

Based on the results of final exams in general and technological lyceums, diplomas of completion of the general and technological bachelor's degrees, respectively, are issued, which are necessary for admission to the university. In vocational training, the training cycle is reduced to two years, and upon completion, a certificate of professional aptitude is issued, which is necessary for further work at the enterprise.

Higher education

Institutions higher education in France are high schools, universities and institutes of technology. Most of the universities are state-owned, but there are also private ones.

Applicants, as a rule, pass entrance tests - exams and interviews.

The structure of the educational process in universities includes 4 stages of training

All higher education institutions participate in The Bologna Process since 2002. The old training system has been abolished, and the current one includes the following stages:

1. Bachelor's degree. 3 years of study. Depending on the specialization, a DEUG or DEUST diploma is issued, confirming an academic or scientific and technical education. With DEUST, graduates can get employed as managers.
2. Master's degree. 2-3 years of study, depending on the specialty. After the first year of study, a licentiate degree is awarded, the second - a master's degree, and after the third - an engineer.
3. Additional cycle of postgraduate education. 1 year of study. Reception is carried out based on the results of the interview. Upon graduation, a diploma of special or research education is issued, which is necessary for further admission to doctoral studies.
4. Doctorate. 3-4 years of study. For admission, an interview is conducted with the applicant. At the end of the training, the applicant for a doctoral degree must write and defend a dissertation before the National Commission, after which a doctorate diploma is issued.

Almost after each year of study, exams are held, and students are issued with national diplomas that correspond to a particular stage of study at a particular university. This feature of the educational system makes it somewhat difficult to understand educational documents.

Video: A Brief Analysis of the French Education Scheme

How much does it cost to study, is it possible for foreigners to study for free

All French preschool educational institutions are paid. At the same time, the cost depends on the number of hours of monthly attendance and the total family income. As a rule, parents pay 200–300 € every month for one child.

Education in schools and secondary education institutions is free of charge. However, at the will of the parents, the child can attend private institutions. The cost of training in them starts from 1000 € per month.

In public universities, they study free of charge, since the Ministry of Education subsidizes them. However, students must pay a symbolic fee of about 185 € for a year of study in a bachelor's degree, 250 in a magistracy, 400 in a doctorate. Private universities charge fees of the order of € 2,000– € 10,000 per year.

Students from the CIS countries have the right to receive education free of charge on an equal basis with the indigenous people.

Table: the most famous French universities

Image Gallery: French Institutions of Higher Education

Sorbonne - the largest and oldest university in France The University of Strasbourg is ranked 87th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities The University of Montpellier is the sixth largest university in France Aix-Marseille University is in the TOP-100 of the best universities in the world according to Reuters The main areas of training at the University of Lille are jurisprudence, natural sciences, medicine and pharmacy

How to enter a French university for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Kazakhstanis

The main requirement for admission to French universities is the presence of a bachelor's certificate with an average score above the passing grade. Graduates of Russian schools do not receive such certificates, so they must study at one of the Russian universities for at least a year. But it will be easier for university graduates who graduated from a bachelor's or master's degree. Nevertheless, the leadership of most French universities invites foreigners to take 1–2-year preparatory courses before enrollment, after which they take a language exam. Courses can be taken both at home and in France.

To begin with, the applicant needs to decide on the university for admission. In matters of obtaining higher education, assistance is provided by the French state agency "Campus-France". To complete training for more than 3 months, you must register on the agency's website, create an application form and apply for a long-term student visa. Entrance tests are held in winter.

Citizens of the Russian Federation can apply for admission online. To your profile in the system, you need to upload scanned copies of a birth certificate, passport, certificate or diploma of education, extracts from the record book. Documents must be accompanied by a French translation. In addition, the applicant must write a motivation letter by hand. The CampusFrance representative will then set the date for the interview.

Video: admission to French universities

Scholarships and grants for international students

Foreign students are not always given the opportunity to study at a French university for free. They often apply for scholarships and grants that can be allocated for short or long term studies.

The scholarship is a monthly financial aid. Scholarships are provided by the French government, the European Commission, local universities, as well as the President of the Russian Federation. Information about current programs is presented on the CampusFrance portal by the link.

Grant is a one-time payment of funds to cover full or partial tuition fees. As a rule, they are allocated for carrying out certain scientific research... Find suitable program can be found on the website of the agency "CampusFrance" in the section "Finance your programm".

Scholarships and grants can be obtained before or during training. Moreover, each program has its own individual procedure for applying for participation.

Video: a story about admission to the Sorbonne (Paris)

How do students live

Formally, each student has the right to live in a student hostel, where he is allocated a separate room. However, not everyone gets places in them. First, low-income local students are provided with housing, then scholarships and participants in international exchange programs. At the same time, the monthly fee in a public university will be 100-350 € per month, and in a private one - from 250. All student dormitories do not belong to universities, but to the Center for Student Accommodation (CROUS).

Students often rent apartments for several people and each pay for their own room. The rental price in this case starts from 300 €.

Another in an accessible way is living with a French family. This option is most suitable for students planning short-term studies. The cost of living is usually 150–300 €.

Each student can get a dorm room

How to get a visa

France is an EU member state of the Schengen area. To go there to enter and study, citizens of the Russian Federation must first apply for a visa. There are two types of study visas - short-term (for stays of no more than 90 days in a row, for example, for the purpose of passing entrance examinations) and long-term (more than 90 days).

To obtain a visa, you must contact one of the consular offices of France in the Russian Federation. They are available in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg. The applicant must first prepare the following documents:

• a completed and signed application form,
• passport for travel abroad,
• 2 photos,
• medical insurance policy for those traveling abroad,
• a copy of all pages of the internal passport or birth certificate,
• confirmation of financial solvency,
• invitation from educational institution or a certificate of enrollment in the course,
• proof of residence in France.

To study in France, you must first apply for a visa

The consul must have a personal conversation with applicants wishing to apply for a long-term visa.

Detailed conditions for issuing study French visas are set out on the official website of the French Embassy in the sections related to long-term and short-term Schengen visas.

Additional courses and work while studying

During their studies, students, if they wish, can attend additional courses by prior arrangement with the leadership of the faculty. There is usually a separate fee for this.

French law provides for the possibility of part-time work for students. You must first obtain a special permit from the local administration. A maximum of 844 hours of work is allowed during the year (a maximum of 19 hours per week, and 40 during the holidays).

French students have the right to earn extra money while studying

Diplomas from local universities are quoted in all EU countries, so graduates can receive high-paying job upon graduation and stay in Europe. However, employers in France give more preference for employment to graduates of special higher schools, where tuition is paid. This is due to the fact that employers do not trust free education, despite its highest quality.

Summary table: advantages and disadvantages of the French educational system

Romantic French is the official language (the only one, as in France, or one of four, as in Switzerland) in almost three dozen countries. According to various estimates, more than 270 million people around the world can freely express themselves in French.

• Reference for comparison: worldwide on English language speaks about 1.8 billion people, Chinese about 1.3 billion people have mastered at various levels, more than 0.5 billion earthlings communicate in Russian.

ON THE FRENCH SIDE, ON ANOTHER PLANET, I SHOULD STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY ...

Learning French is both challenging and exciting at the same time, as the student is constantly in for a lot of surprises with foreign grammar and vocabulary.

Some of the simplest, and therefore favorite by most students, are the lessons on which the topic of numbers is taught. It would seem that there can be difficult here: 1, 2, 3 ... 8, 9, 10, 20 ... 70, 80 and so on. The main thing is to remember the names of units, tens, hundreds and combine them with each other.

But no, the system of French numerals has prepared a very peculiar approach for foreigners, which for some at first turns out to be quite difficult to understand. Most Russian-speaking students call the French number system difficult and inconvenient, since they have to memorize and adapt to a combination of decimal and decimal numbering systems.

But more to the point.

FRENCH COUNTER: WHAT IS WRONG?

With numbers from one to ten in French, everything is as clear as in Russian:

Further account in Slavic languages ​​goes adding the end-ten (that is, binding to the usual decimal system countdown). For example: one - eleven, two - twelve, then - two-twenty, three-twenty, five-ten, eight-ten, etc. Agree, remembering this order is not difficult.

In French numerals, the same frame of reference is repeated up to the number 16 (the numbers here are simple monosyllabic words obtained by simplifying the Latin names that became the "progenitors" of French words):

But starting with the number "17", a surprise awaits you. In theory, this number should look like this: septendecim(i.e. 7 + 10). But in practice, this and the next two numerals become two-syllable words, in which the usual ending, meaning - ten, or just ten, is put in the first place, so it looks like this:

With numbers from "20" to "60" inclusive, everything looks logical again. The names of dozens are derived from simplified Latin names:

All numbers in the range from 20 to 69 are formed according to the usual and extremely clear scheme: the required unit number is added to the tens.

• Say, if it is 33 (30 + 3), then the French call this number as follows: trente-trios (hyphenated), or 45 (40 + 5) = quarante-cinq. A small exception is numbers with one, in this case, instead of a hyphen, it is customary to use the union "et", for example, cinquanteetun (50 +1).

FRENCH MATH: WHY IS 80 IN FRENCH FOUR TIMES 20?

But, starting from the seventh decade, the French surprise us again. In their number system, the transition from decimal to decimal begins, so 70 is no longer 7 × 10, as one might assume but (6 × 10 + 10). For clarity, we represent the numbers in tabular form:

These three tens also apply their own rules for the formation of compound numerals.

For example, if you need to designate the number 72, then you can do this by adding the number 12 to 60, that is, in writing it will look like this: soixante-douze (60 + 12). In other words, the number 70 in French does not seem to exist - you have to get by with the number "60", adding the necessary numbers to it.

In the case of the numbers "80" and "90", the phrase "quatre-vingts" is used. If the number 81 is meant, then it will sound like "quatre-vingts-un" (4 × 20 + 1), if you need to say 91, then the French say "quatre-vingts-onze" (4 × 20 + 11).

• It should be noted that in a number of French-speaking countries (Switzerland, Belgium), and in some French regions"Controversial" tens, namely 70 - 80 - 90, are pronounced and used according to a simplified system, that is, as septante, huitante (octante), nonante. These are "neoformative" numbers, which are used along with the "classical" ones.

In subsequent numerals in French, generally accepted rules are repeated. For example, the number 100 is translated as "cent", and 200, in turn, will sound like deuxcents (2 hundred), etc. Well, if you want to name (write in words) a large number, for example, 1975, then you will have to recall all the features and intricacies of ten + decimal number French system, that is, it will look like this:

mille neuf cents soixante quinze (1000) + (900) + (6 × 10) + (15)

The decimal system of counting is reflected in monetary system France: for example, 1 franc was, not 10, but 20 sous.

MIXED INTO A LOT OF CELTS, NORMANDIANS ...

Perhaps, at first glance, such a system of calculating and forming numbers really seems complicated and confusing, but in practice you get used to it quickly enough. The only question that arises is why it all happened this way in the French language?

Discussions about unusual, some even say - “anomalous” French numerals are still underway, and there is no consensus among the experts yet.

The main hypothesis is the ancient historical roots. The blame, obviously, is the relationship with other peoples, which influenced the development of the French language.

In particular, although the basis of the French language, belonging to the Romance group, is Latin, in which, as you know, the decimal calculation is accepted, Celtic tribes once lived in the territory of Provence. This, as well as active trade with the Vikings from Normandy, who, like the Celts, used the decimal number system, most likely, and influenced the French numbers.

• The Mayan and Aztec tribes also used the dividing system of counting.

Historians note that in the 17th century in France, there was a "confrontation" between decimal and decimal counting systems. In it, in particular, the famous writers Molière and La Bruyere took part, who used (read - popularized) one system or another in their works.