[PW] origin of percentages (mathematical)?

[Douglas Eric Anderson]

The earliest attested quotation in the OED (2nd ed.) of the phrase "per
cent" in English is 1568 (under "cent").  There is also a bracketed note
that reads as follows (italics indicated by _underscores_):

"Perh. at first in the It. form _per cento_ 'for a hundred';
then pseudo-latinized as _per centum_ (which could not
have been used in Latin).  Whether _per cent._ is merely
an abbreviation of this, or is more or less due to the
French _pour cent_, 'for a hundred', is not clear."

This sounds to me as though the concept was imported into English along
with the phrase from either Italian or French.  This doesn't, of course,
give the origin of the concept itself, but it may perhaps give a pointer
for further research.

-- Doug Anderson
Reference Coordinator


On Mon, February 19, 2007 4:58 pm, Tiffany Hayes wrote:
> Can anyone help with this reference question?  A student came in to
> research a paper about a mathematical topic.  She was studying percentages
> and needed to know the origin of the concept of a percent.  So far I've
> checked in our math reference books, in encyclopedias, and in databases.
> I've Googled a variety of "history of percent" or "origin of percent" or
> "mathematical history" phrases.  I'm not sure where else to look.  Being a
> public library, or resources are somewhat limited.  Any help would be
> appreciated!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Tiffany Hayes
> Cumberland County Public Library
> & Information Center
> North Regional Branch
> 855 McArthur Rd.
> Fayetteville, NC 28311
> 910-822-1998 ext.231
> thayes at cumberland.lib.nc.us
>
> _______________________________________________
> Project Wombat
> list at project-wombat.org
> http://www.project-wombat.org/
>


-- 
Douglas E. Anderson
Reference Coordinator
Ashtabula County District Library
335 W. 44th St.
Ashtabula, OH 44004 USA
440/997-9341 ext. 1
http://www.acdl.info/