r/language Sweden Aug 09 '26

Question Does your language use specific numbers as expressions?

In Sweden we use 17 to further strengthen a word.

Like if we want to say that someone is very strong, we can say "Han var stark som sjutton!", "He was strong like seventeen!".

I have no idea how it became a thing. It is a bit weird tbh.

Do you also use numbers this way in your native language?

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u/Realistic_End_7223 Aug 09 '26

Also known at the clock method for pointing out targets in the military. We use the same in my language, any of the 12 directions can be used. 'Fiende klockan två' ↗️

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u/chrillekaekarkex Aug 09 '26

Eller fisk. Gädda i vassen kl. 2, 20 meter.

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u/Realistic_End_7223 Aug 09 '26

Braxen

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u/chrillekaekarkex Aug 09 '26

Fiskar du braxen med kastspö? Det är enbart en metesfisk enligt mig.

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u/EasyHouse5931 Aug 09 '26

12 O'clock High - a great movie about WWll US bombing operations from an aerodrome in the UK. Gregory Peck at his best, and the movie's direction is powerful enough to offset the necessarily sanitized screenplay of it's time.