Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?

Answer 1

haha is this a trick question or are you bored or is this for a report???

Answer 2

For starters, there is no "onety" because it all BEGAN with a counting system based on "ten". The terms "twenty", "thirty" etc. are derived from compound words meaning "two tens", "three tens", etc. There was hardly a need to begin with a term meaning "one ten" when we already had the simple word "ten".
http://www.webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?twenty

The question then is why we have this odd system from eleven to nineteen. Actually, thirteen to nineteen aren't so odd, since they simply mean "three and ten", "four and teen", etc. The order may be different from "twenty three", but the principle is the same.

So, what of "eleven" and "twelve"? The first part isn't too hard. "Eleven" goes back to Middle English "en-leven", whose first syllable is a relative of "an/ane" meaning "one", and the "tw-" of "twelve" gives away its connection to "two". So we can sort of see that these two have something to do with the system of counting by ten. In fact, the original meaning of these two words was "one left" and "two left" (after counting to ten).
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dict.asp?Word=eleven

As for why "eleven" and "twelve" did not end up simply conforming to the "teen" pattern. Simple -- these were COMMON, well-established forms. And ordinarily in ANY language, it is precisely the common, everyday words that are LEAST likely to submit to "rules". (That's why the "irregular" past tense verb forms -- had, were, went, etc-- and irregular plural forms --men, mice, geese-- are almost always found with simple, common words.)

Of course, there were some alternative forms out there. We still use an alternative word for twelve -- "do-zen" itself shows us that (compare German "zehn")-- though it has gained its own special use (for a GROUPING of twelve). In fact, the fact that many things were divided into units of twelve also helps explain why eleven and twelve were treated differently.

Answer 3

The same reason 12 isn't onety two

Answer 4

Eleven and twelve defy the norm in many languages, not only in English. In German eleven is elf, it is outside the regular pattern of the numbers after 12. Just is.

Answer 5

Your question is valid!!!

Back in the days of yore there was a deliberate plot by "learned ones" to make math beyond counting on fingers mysterious. Having knowledge meant having power. The more confusing a subject the more power for those in the know. We have just never been wise enough to simplify. We should also say twoty-one and threety-one ... since the pattern really begins with forty and forty-one....

Great question do not be intimidated by some the the rude answers you received!

Answer 6

because onety aint a word.lol

Answer 7

It should have pronounced tentyone.

Answer 8

It's just a quirk in English, other languages have similar quirks.

Answer 9

interesting i never thought about that i guess because some people dont have any humor

Answer 10

because its not a teen. Think about it. You are officially a TEEN-ager when you hit thirTEEN. not twelve, not eleven, but thirTEEN. I dont understand why, but maybe its because the person who came up with the pronounciation decieded that onety one, or eleventy didn't sound right: eleven did.

Answer 11

thats a stupid question. if anything it should follow its own pattern and be pronounced one-teen