The Number Concept: Its Origin and DevelopmentConant, Levi L. (Levi Leonard)
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The Number Concept: Its Origin and Development
Conant, Levi L. (Levi Leonard)
Number concept
1. kaambo.
2. benjero.
3. benjero kaambo = 2-2.
4. benjero on benjero = 2-2.
OMEO.
1. bore.
2. warkolala.
3. warkolala bore = 2-1.
4. warkolala warkolala = 2-2.
SNOWY RIVER.
1. kootook.
2. boolong.
3. booloom catha kootook = 2 + 1.
4. booloom catha booloom = 2 + 2.
NGARRIMOWRO.
1. warrangen.
2. platir.
3. platir warrangen = 2-1.
4. platir platir = 2-2.
This Australian list might be greatly extended, but the scales selected may
be taken as representative examples of Australian binary scales. Nearly all
of them show a structure too clearly marked to require comment. In a few
cases, however, the systems are to be regarded rather as showing a trace of
binary structure, than as perfect examples of counting by twos. Examples of
this nature are especially numerous in Curr's extensive list--the most
complete collection of Australian vocabularies ever made.
A few binary scales have been found in South America, but they show no
important variation on the Australian systems cited above. The only ones I
have been able to collect are the following:
BAKAIRI.[188]
1. tokalole.
2. asage.
3. asage tokalo = 2-1.
4. asage asage = 2-2.
ZAPARA.[189]
1. nuquaqui.
2. namisciniqui.
3. haimuckumarachi.
4. namisciniqui ckara maitacka = 2 + 2.
5. namisciniqui ckara maitacka nuquaqui = 2 pairs + 1.
6. haimuckumaracki ckaramsitacka = 3 pairs.
APINAGES.[190]
1. pouchi.
2. at croudou.
3. at croudi-pshi = 2-1.
4. agontad-acroudo = 2-2.
COTOXO.[191]
1. ihueto.
2. ize.
3. ize-te-hueto = 2-1.
4. ize-te-seze = 2-2.
5. ize-te-seze-hue = 2-2-1.
MBAYI.[192]
1. uninitegui.
2. iniguata.
3. iniguata dugani = 2 over.
4. iniguata driniguata = 2-2.
5. oguidi = many.
TAMA.[193]
1. teyo.
2. cayapa.
3. cho-teyo = 2 + 1.
4. cayapa-ria = 2 again.
5. cia-jente = hand.
CURETU.[194]
1. tchudyu.
2. ap-adyu.
3. arayu.
4. apaedyai = 2 + 2.
5. tchumupa.
If the existence of number systems like the above are to be accounted for
simply on the ground of low civilization, one might reasonably expect to
find ternary and and quaternary scales, as well as binary. Such scales
actually exist, though not in such numbers as the binary. An example of the
former is the Betoya scale,[195] which runs thus:
1. edoyoyoi.
2. edoi = another.
3. ibutu = beyond.
4. ibutu-edoyoyoi = beyond 1, or 3-1.
5. ru-mocoso = hand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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