Re: Numbers from 1-10

In a message dated 8/28/2003 11:20:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
christopher.bates@NTLWORLD.COM writes:


>What happens if your language doesn't stretch to 10 by design? I don't
>have a language like that, but people always mention (I'm not sure if
>its a myth or not) some languages, especially aborigonal ones, which
>supposedly don't have words for higher numbers.... I wonder if it really
>is true, or another peice of information along the likes of "Eskimos
>have lots of words for snow" which derives from the fact that the
>language is poly-synthetic, so there are lots of words, but not lots of
>roots that mean snow.

In _Australian Languages_, RMW Dixon says "Most Australian languages lack a
separate class of numbers.  There are generally reported to be forms meaning
'one', 'two' -- also sometimes 'three' -- in the adjective class."

So, if we can believe him (and I think we can), numbers tend not to go above
three in Australian languages.

Doug

Reply