Large numbers

I was reading a newspaper story which quoted a figure for the number of unemployed as "19,178 millions"

Do I say this figure as dix neuf million vergule cent soixante dix huit OR dix neuf vergule un sept huit?

Cheers Peeps. Any help appreciated.

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on October 1, 2013 at 4:26pm

I would definitely go for the former formulation .It sounds much nicer.But I think you would say "dix-neuf mille ,(virgule ) cent soixante-huit millions "

I am not sure if you would need to say "virgule".

I have never come across (as an example) "un sept huit" being used to express 178 in French although mathematicians must do it all the time.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Morse on October 6, 2013 at 8:12pm

Hi George. Sorry for the delayed response. Thanks very much for help, much appreciated. Likewise, thanks too to Nicolas. Cheers fellers.

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Permalink Reply by Nicolas Wolff on October 6, 2013 at 11:28am

You would usually say "dix neuf millions cent soixante dix huit" in "Standard" French.

In some areas (eg Wallonie, Belgium), one would say "dix neuf millions cent septante huit".

You would say "dix neuf virgule cent septante huit millions" only if you have to/wish to use the million as a unit.