# Latin: names of the letters



## crises

I have been searching on the Net for a while and I cannot find a place with a list of the alphabet and how each letter was called in classic Latin. 

More specificly, I would like to know how Roman numbers are correctly spelled in Latin. For instance, IIX > "duo iqus"?

Alternatively, individual spellings for each number from 1 to 10 would be really appreciated.

I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
...

_This post should be moved to Latin Forum, sorry.

I should have searched better as I found the answer easily than I expected! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_alphabet
_


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## Outsider

crises said:


> More specificly, I would like to know how Roman numbers are correctly spelled in Latin. For instance, IIX > "duo iqus"?


Did you mean XII, _duodecim_ (twelve)?


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## Whodunit

crises said:


> I have been searching on the Net for a while and I cannot find a place with a list of the alphabet and how each letter was called in classic Latin.


 
The same topic was discussed here where you will find some historical background to the origin of the special letters (j, u, y, w, z).



> More specificly, I would like to know how Roman numbers are correctly spelled in Latin. For instance, IIX > "duo iqus"?


 
I'm not sure I understand your question correctly. What do you mean by _spelled_? Do you mean which system they used for the letters represent numbers? By the way, the combination IIX does not exist. Maybe you meant IX (novem = nine) or XII (duodecim = twelve)?



> Alternatively, individual spellings for each number from 1 to 10 would be really appreciated.


 
Again I'm not sure what you'd like to use to do. Please help us help you.  All I can do for now is write the Latin name for the letters below:



> I _unus, a, um_
> II _duo, ae, o_
> III _tres, ia_
> IV _quattuor_
> V _quinque_
> VI _sex_
> VII _septem_
> VIII _octo_
> IX _novem_
> X _decem_


 
I'm not sure if that was helpful.


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## crises

Thank you for your kind help. 

My question was, for instance, about this combination: III-X. Would it be romanized as "tres ex"? It's not an operation, but just III in numbers and X as letter.


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## Anne345

Why, should they spell ? They read numbers. 

IIIX does not exist, VII = septem

XVII = septemdecim
XVIII = duodevigenti
XIX = undeviginti
XXI = vigenti unu (or unus vigenti)
XXII = vigenti duo (or duo et vigenti)
XXVIII = duodetrigenta
XXIX = unodetrigenta

as in operations  : 
3 + 5 => tres et quinque sunt octo
13 - 7 = 6 => septem de tredecim sunt sex


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## crises

Thank you for your reply, but...



crises said:


> It's *not* an operation, but just III in numbers and X as letter.




3-X if you prefer this way. Would it be romanized as "tres ex"?

Thanks again.


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## Outsider

It would be _read_ that way, yes, but you don't have to write it in full. As in English or Spanish, you can simply write '3-X'.


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## crises

Thank you very much!!


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## Whodunit

crises said:


> Thank you for your reply, but...
> 
> 3-X if you prefer this way. Would it be romanized as "tres ex"?
> 
> Thanks again.


 
I'm not sure yet what exactly you mean. Is it a parameter/coefficient/variable as in 3x + 5xy - 4x = -x + 5xy? I'm afraid I still don't understand your question.


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