The Number Concept: Its Origin and DevelopmentConant, Levi L. (Levi Leonard)
History
The Number Concept: Its Origin and Development
Conant, Levi L. (Levi Leonard)
Number concept
In the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean a well-developed example of
vigesimal numeration is found. The inhabitants of these islands are so low
in the scale of civilization that a definite numeral system of any kind is
a source of some surprise. Their neighbours, the Andaman Islanders, it will
be remembered, have but two numerals at their command; their intelligence
does not seem in any way inferior to that of the Nicobar tribes, and one is
at a loss to account for the superior development of the number sense in
the case of the latter. The intercourse of the coast tribes with traders
might furnish an explanation of the difficulty were it not for the fact
that the numeration of the inland tribes is quite as well developed as that
of the coast tribes; and as the former never come in contact with traders
and never engage in barter of any kind except in the most limited way, the
conclusion seems inevitable that this is merely one of the phenomena of
mental development among savage races for which we have at present no
adequate explanation. The principal numerals of the inland and of the coast
tribes are:[356]
INLAND TRIBES COAST TRIBES
10. teya. 10. sham.
20. heng-inai. 20. heang-inai.
30. heng-inai-tain 30. heang-inai-tanai
= 20 + 5 (couples). = 20 + 5 (couples).
40. au-inai = 2 x 20. 40. an-inai = 2 x 20.
100. tain-inai = 5 x 20. 100. tanai-inai = 5 x 20.
200. teya-inai = 10 x 20. 200. sham-inai = 10 x 20.
300. teya-tain-inai 300. heang-tanai-inai
= (10 + 5) x 20. = (10 + 5) 20.
400. heng-teo. 400. heang-momchiama.
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