2+2=5

The idea that "2+2=5" is a nonsensical concept when we think of it in terms of mathematics. We know that two plus two equals four—it's a straightforward, logical fact. However, if we step away from the strict rules of math and think about language, things get more flexible. The word "five" is just a sound we've all agreed means the number that comes after four. But what if, by some twist of history, the word we use for "four" was actually pronounced "five"? The concept of "2+2=5" would still be wrong mathematically, but it makes us think about how arbitrary language can be.

In math, everything is precise. Numbers and equations work the same way no matter where you are in the world. When you say "2 + 2 = 4," you're stating a fact that everyone can agree on because math doesn't change. On the other hand, language is not as rigid. The words we use for numbers, objects, and ideas are just symbols we've invented. There's nothing inherently "five-like" about the word "five." It's simply a sound that, over time, people agreed should represent the number we think of as five.

Let's look at the history of the words "four" and "five." The word "four" comes from Old English "feower," which traces back to even older languages like Proto-Germanic "*fedwōr" and Proto-Indo-European "*k?etwóres." Similarly, "five" comes from Old English "fīf," which has roots in Proto-Germanic "*fimfe" and Proto-Indo-European "*pénk?e." These words have evolved over thousands of years, shaped by different cultures and languages mixing together. When you think about it, it’s just a coincidence that "four" and "five" ended up as the words we use today. If history had gone differently, the word "five" might have been used to describe what we now call "four." This makes you realize that these words are just products of their time and place, not something fixed or absolute.

The idea that language is arbitrary and flexible can be further illustrated by looking at the way numbers are spoken in the French language. In French, the number "ninety" is not a single word like it is in English. Instead, it is said as "quatre-vingt-dix," which literally translates to "four-twenty-ten." This might seem strange to English speakers because it's a completely different way of constructing numbers.

This example from French shows how different cultures have developed unique ways of expressing the same numerical concepts. If history had been different, English might have used a similar system, or maybe "four" would be said in a way that resembles our word for "five." The point is, there’s nothing natural or inevitable about the words we use for numbers—they're just conventions that have evolved over time.

Language is a tool we use to make sense of the world, but it’s not perfect. Words are not tied to the objects or ideas they represent in any fundamental way. They’re just convenient labels we’ve all agreed upon. This is why different languages have different words for the same things, and why words can change meaning over time. So, when we think about how arbitrary these labels are, it makes sense that something as strange as "2+2=5" could make us reconsider the flexibility and evolution of language, even though it’s still a mathematical impossibility.