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The form "forty," like twenty, thirty, and fifty lost its original form due to changes in English pronunciation.

It may be spelled that way because in some dialects, four is "fo-er" hence the need for a "U." But when saying forty, there is no other vowel so it simply excluded from the word due to simplicity.

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βˆ™ 13y ago
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βˆ™ 1w ago

The spelling of "forty" with an "o" instead of "u" traces back to Old English influence. The transition from "four" to "forty" in English language is largely due to historical linguistic evolution and spelling conventions.

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Q: Why is 40 spelled forty and not forty?
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