Where does the term "Schnapszahl" come from?
News News blog
Everyone knows them, the "Schnapszahlen" like 11, 22, 333 or 4444. But why are these special numbers actually called 'liquor numbers'? There are two theories about the origin of the term.
Theory 1: Too much schnapps leads to double vision
The first explanation says that the name comes from the fact that people who have drunk too much alcohol like schnapps see things double. The alcohol disrupts the cooperation of eyes and brain, so that the images of the two eyes are no longer correctly processed into an overall picture.
Also, the eye muscles no longer function properly to keep the eyes in the correct position. So a single number like 2 can become a 22 or a 3 can become a 33 - a "Schnapszahl". Walking is also difficult for drunk people because the muscles no longer work normally.
Theory 2: Rounds of schnapps in dice and card games
The second theory traces the term back to dice and card games in pubs. If a player reached a number with two or more identical digits, he had to buy a round of schnapps. Presumably, schnapps was chosen over beer or wine because it was cheaper and lifted the mood faster.
Conclusion: "Schnapszahlen" - digits with a special, tongue-in-cheek character
Whether through alcohol-induced double-digit vision or as a trigger for rounds of schnapps during games - the term "Schnapszahl" has become firmly established in German usage. It lends a special, tongue-in-cheek character to numbers with identical digits. And this, even though very few people still think of a schnapps when they see a 555 or 7777 today.
