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Re:Why are German numbers backwards? by DenisM on Sunday November 28, 2021 @02:51PM (#29372278)
> the ones sleeping the most less

Good god, this is beautiful. Is this a German idiom?

Re:Why are German numbers backwards? by hutzlibu on Sunday November 28, 2021 @04:06PM (#29373033)
Not literally, as far as I know (I am also still wondering, of whether it was correct grammar), but there are plenty of:

"Morgenstund hat gold im Mund"

morning time is gold

(to which I agree at times)

or

"Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm"

The early bird catches the worm.

(to where I say, maybe the worm should have slept in that day)

Re:Why are German numbers backwards? by hamburglar on Sunday November 28, 2021 @04:31PM (#29373243)
I think the poster you are responding to is referring to the “beauty” (sarcastically, I assume) of the phrasing “most less” instead of “least.” It would be right in line with the confusing way numbers are spoken.
Re:Why are German numbers backwards? by ce4 on Sunday November 28, 2021 @06:57PM (#29374617)
I guess it is just an english grammar issue Germans often make (less, lesser, least and so on for single syllable words and x, more x, most x for the rest). The german equivalent of least is also just one word: wenigsten.
Re:Why are German numbers backwards? by DenisM on Sunday November 28, 2021 @11:15PM (#29376293)
I don't do sarcasm (and it's against the HN guidelines, btw).

"Sleeping the most less" is a beautiful turn of phrase, even if ungrammatical. Or maybe because of it.

Re:Why are German numbers backwards? by hutzlibu on Sunday November 28, 2021 @06:38PM (#29374461)
Yeah, I feared as much.