As if memorizing multiplication tables and calculating the tip on a split bill weren’t hard enough, the words for numbers and amounts themselves haven’t always stayed the same. At a market in the Middle Ages, a clerk might have informed you that your total was a “long hundred,” or “twelfty,” a long-lost number meaning 120. This figure comes from the Old English term “hundtwelftig,” meaning “20 past 100.” “Twelfty” meant “six score” (120), and the “Christian hundred” was “five score” (100). To add to the confusion, as the word “hundred” transitioned (between 1200 and 1650 CE), it could mean either 100 or 120.

Lost in Translation

A number can mean different things to speakers across languages (and time), according to The Allusionist’s podcast episode “Zillions,” which dives into the etymology of number-related words. Modern Western math is built using the base-10 decimal system, while Old English used the base-12 (duodecimal system). Basically, different number systems led to these different ways of counting to 100.

According to historian Julian Goodare, in his academic paper, “The long hundred in medieval and early modern Scotland,” “twelfty” originated with the Germanic practice of counting by tens to 120. The amount was also called “six score,” and sometimes “10 dozen.” But the number of “twelfty” (or “twelvety”) didn’t apply in all instances — for example, Goodare notes that it wasn’t used for selling material such as wool, which was measured by a “short” hundred (100) not a “long” hundred (120) until the early 16th century. This terminology extended to 1,200, then called the “long thousand.”

Fans of Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring get a glimpse of this outdated and alternate counting system as Bilbo is about to reach the age “eleventy-one,” meaning 111. While it may seem like a bit of fanciful phrasing created for the hobbits, Tolkien was a respected linguist who no doubt was giving a nod to ancient counting systems. CNET publicized a celebration of what would have been Tolkien’s 126th birthday (June 3, 2018) with the headline “Raise a glass to JRR Tolkien on his twelfty-sixth birthday.”

A Modern Number for … Who Knows?

While “twelfty” used to mean a concrete number, the word is now mostly used for a sort of nonsense number. In a clip from a 2000 BBC League of Gentlemen episode, a shopkeeper and clerk are attempting to inventory their stock. As the clerk estimates the supplies, she gives up and rounds to “twelfty.” This aligns with Urban Dictionary’s explanation of the slang usage to make fun of not knowing actual numerical data. So, if a clerk is just not sure how much to charge, it’s possible they might exclaim “twelfty!” — a nod to an ancient amount, and a current shrug, meaning “any number.”

Featured image credit: Doucefleur/ iStock

If you threw a party with guests from Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Jamaica, and the United States, they might have a hard time understanding each other. English is spoken in all five countries, but every culture puts its own spin on things, from using the same word in wildly different ways, to coining words that are unique to a specific nation. Here's a guide to some words and phrases that are 100% American.

Ballpark

While a professional ballpark is defined by the baseball diamond, the outfield, the stands, the concessions, and the walls around it, neighborhood fields might not have the same boundaries. You can play ball anywhere, including in the street, an open field, or a backyard.

So when the word "ballpark" is used off the field, it usually means you're in the right general area, but maybe not within set boundaries. You can ballpark an estimate, hit something out of the ballpark, or meet someone’s guidelines by being in the same ballpark.

Sneakers

Athletic footwear goes by many names around the globe — Canadians refer to such shoes as runners, while Brits affectionately call them trainers. Americans favor sneakers, tennis shoes, or running shoes — don't worry if you're neither sneaking nor running.

Bachelor / Bachelorette

The title of this reality TV guilty pleasure is also a term unique to the U.S., at least when it comes to prenuptial partying. In other English-speaking countries, parties to celebrate the bride and groom’s last hurrah are known as stag, stagette, hen, or buck parties, though most people would still know what a bachelor(ette) party entailed if you extended an invite.

Soccer / Football

Perhaps the most infamous sports-related difference in the English language is what people call the game that involves kicking a black and white ball into a goal. Throughout the rest of the world, it’s called football, which makes sense because it's played with, well, your feet. But in America (and Australia), it's soccer. What Americans call football is played by throwing and carrying a ball into an end zone. It's known as American football internationally.

More Bang for Your Buck

This American expression refers to getting a good deal, but the origins are a little more sinister. President Dwight D. Eisenhower coined the phrase in the 1950s, with the aim of expanding America’s armed forces while decreasing military spending.

First Floor

Sure, people around the globe say "first floor" — but they’re referring to the floor of a building above the ground floor. In the U.S., if you said you were on the first floor, you’d probably be referring to the floor where you enter a building. This difference can lead to some confused hotel guests when staying abroad.

Zip Codes

The rest of the English-speaking world uses postal codes to send their mail (also known as the post in the U.K.) via the postal system. But America’s five- or nine-digit ZIP codes stand apart. The USPS strategically chose ZIP to imply snail mail was, believe it or not, fast and efficient. But it's not just a zippy marketing ploy — it's also an acronym, for Zone Improvement Plan.

Freshmen / Sophomores / Juniors / Seniors

Whether you’re in high school or university, American students typically progress through these levels, based on their year of study — a practice not followed outside of America. Interestingly, these terms originated at the University of Cambridge in England, only to fall out of favor until they were revived by Cambridge graduate John Harvard, when he, you guessed it, founded Harvard College.

John Hancock

America’s colonial history pops up in American slang. If you ask for someone’s John Hancock, you’re asking for their signature. John Hancock was a real man, an American revolutionary patriot who made a literal name for himself with his flamboyant signature on the Declaration of Independence.

Flake

Light, airy, and oh-so-quick to crumble — just like your plans with a flaky friend. The rest of the world primarily uses this word when describing baking textures, but Americans have extended the meaning to anyone who is indecisive or flighty.

Take a Rain Check

If you’re looking to politely turn down an offer for drinks with colleagues, or a last-minute dinner invite, you might tell someone you’ll “take a rain check.” This charming Americanism also comes from baseball. If a game was rained out, ticket holders were given a ticket — or rain check — for a future game.

Vacation

Many English-speakers look forward to taking a holiday from work. Americans, however, are all about booking a vacation, or even more colloquially, a vacay. In America, holidays are typically reserved for talking about the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Jumped the Shark

This fishy phrase hails back to the 1970s, when the Fonz literally jumped over a shark during an episode of the comedy show Happy Days. Fans declared this scene as the official moment when Happy Days had run out of fresh, creative, and believable ideas. But the phrase stuck, and it’s still used to describe anything that undergoes a rapid and steep decline in quality.

Dude

While this slang word for "man" or "guy" is now most closely associated with SoCal surfer types, its origins date back to the 19th century, when posh East Coasters trekked out West for a cattle ranch vacation. It’s been picked up somewhat by other English speakers, but "dude" still has a truly American vibe.

Shotgun!

The best seat in the car is shotgun — AKA the front passenger’s seat. The term was inspired by America’s Wild West stagecoach days. If you ever see a group sprinting across the parking lot while yelling “shotgun,” chances are they’re just trying to lay claim to this coveted spot.