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Rank indicative adjective

English Language & Usage Asked on October 2, 2020

Was there any old usage of position indicating adjectives in English… like Potter stood in the "twoeth" place in the class or Rachel was in "foureth" place,.. to indicate rank /serial order /chronology ? From six onwards we have a regular rule to make such adjectives (like the Sixth amendment, Seventh day etc).

Likewise in the interrogative: In "what(eth)" block from street corner is the building you live in ?" .. had ever been in vogue?

In several other languages the rank indicative rule is followed without any exception.

One Answer

Was there any old usage of position indicating adjectives in English... like Potter stood in the "twoeth" place in the class or Rachel was in "foureth" place,

No, first second and third were irregular but the rest are regular.

forma - first
ōðer - second (compare Modern English "other")
þridda - third

You seem to be confusing Old English (incomprehensible to Modern English speakers) and Middle English (difficult to understand for most Modern English speakers) with some invented version of English found in cheap novels.

"foureth" (fēorða (OE) - fourth) is completely wrong - "eth" was either "eth or "th" depending upon the previous sound. You should use the current version that does not have an "e" - fourth

Five was originally "fif" so "fifth" is also regular.

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Old_English/Numbers

Answered by Greybeard on October 2, 2020

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