Dozens, hundreds, etc
By maildumpster
@maildumpster (3815)
United States
May 23, 2007 11:56am CST
Ok I know my thought process can be odd.
I was thinking the other day that we will say that there have been dozens of something. We will say hundreds, thousands etc. You almost never hear there were say tens of attempts at something. You would hear there were dozens of attempts.
Anyone know why? I just found it odd. If you don't know you are welcome to post a funny reply.
2 responses
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
23 May 07
That is what I think too! It does sound strange to say tens. I guess if it was something that people say it wouldn't sound so odd.
@ljcapps (1925)
• United States
23 May 07
It is odd that we don't use that expression, especially considering that so many of our numbers revolve around 10. Decade, century, millenium, ten fingers, ten toes. Ten is an often used number, but i think it's just easier to say dozens. and by the time you have dozens, you normally have hundreds, which falls back on the exponent of 10 thing. I just think over time people start to use different numbers. You never hear anyone refer to a fortnight anymore, and i actually didn't know what a bakers dozen was until my wife explained it to me a couple of weeks ago. She's my queen of weird and unusual information.
