Septante, Octante/Huitante, Nonante

LoveLanguages   Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:42 am GMT
Hi viewers of this forum,

I'm just learning French and I can now read French texts with correct pronounciation and construct sentences using simple tenses.

I just want to get your opinion on septante (70), octante/huitante (80), nonamte (90). They are used in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Lousiana, and even in Former Zaire which is an ex-Belgain colony but not in France and it's former colonies.

I myself find the standard vegisimal system which are soixante-dix (70), quatre-vingt (80), and quatre-vingt-dix (90) akward t to use and so I prefer the the former which are far simpler.
nico french   Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:41 am GMT
they also use these numbers in the north of France (départements du NOrd et du Pas de Calais)
Josh Lalonde   Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:27 pm GMT
No, these numbers are not used in Canada. The vigesimal system is used here. I can understand why they might be confusing; many anglophone French-learners would agree!
In Belgium, only septante and nonante are used. 80 is quatre-vingt, like in France. I think Switzerland still uses huitante, but I don't think anyone uses octante.
Guest   Sun Mar 11, 2007 4:04 pm GMT
Octante was used in Switzerland until the 20th century, and is still often heard in isolated villages in Fribourg.
a.p.a.m.   Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:49 pm GMT
"I myself find the standard vegisimal system which are soixante-dix (70), quatre-vingt (80), and quatre-vingt-dix (90) akward to use and so I prefer the former which are far simpler."
I'm told that the above quoted manner of counting in French is derived from the Celtic Gauls.