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 its structure the quinary is the simplest, the most primitive, of the
natural systems. Its base is almost always expressed by a word meaning
"hand," or by some equivalent circumlocution, and its digital origin is
usually traced without difficulty. A consistent formation would require the
expression of 10 by some phrase meaning "two fives," 15 by "three fives,"
etc. Such a scale is the one obtained from the Betoya language, already
mentioned in Chapter III., where the formation of the numerals is purely
quinary, as the following indicate:[227]
5. teente = 1 hand.
10. cayaente, or caya huena = 2 hands.
15. toazumba-ente = 3 hands.
20. caesa-ente = 4 hands.
The same formation appears, with greater or less distinctness, in many of
the quinary scales already quoted, and in many more of which mention might
be made. Collecting the significant numerals from a few such scales, and
tabulating them for the sake of convenience of comparison, we see this
point clearly illustrated by the following:
TAMANAC.
5. amnaitone = 1 hand.
10. amna atse ponare = 2 hands.
ARAWAK, GUIANA.
5. abba tekkabe = 1 hand.
10. biamantekkabe = 2 hands.
JIVIRO.
5. alacoetegladu = 1 hand.
10. catoegladu = 2 hands.
NIAM NIAM
5. biswe
10. bauwe = 2d 5.
NENGONES
5. se dono = the end (of the fingers of 1 hand).
10. rewe tubenine = 2 series (of fingers).
SESAKE.[228]
5. lima = hand.
10. dua lima = 2 hands.
AMBRYM.[229]
5. lim = hand.
10. ra-lim = 2 hands.
PAMA.[229]
5. e-lime = hand.
10. ha-lua-lim = the 2 hands.
DINKA.[230]
5. wdyets.
10. wtyer, or wtyar = 5 x 2.
BARI
5. kanat
10. puoek = 5 + 5?
KANURI
5. ugu.
10. megu = 2 x 5.
RIO NORTE AND SAN ANTONIO.[231]
5. juyopamauj.
10. juyopamauj ajte = 5 x 2.
API.[232]
5. lima.
10. lua-lima = 2 x 5.
ERROMANGO
5. suku-rim.
10. nduru-lim = 2 x 5.
TLINGIT, BRITISH COLUMBIA.[233]
5. kedjin (from djin = hand).
10. djinkat = both hands?
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