The Number Concept - Its Origin and Development by Levi Leonard Conant
page 50 of 286 (17%)
page 50 of 286 (17%)
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20. bularin dinna = belonging to the 2 feet.
As has already been stated, there is good ground for believing that this system was originally as limited as those obtained from other Australian tribes, and that its extension from 4, or perhaps from 5 onward, is of comparatively recent date. A somewhat peculiar numeral nomenclature is found in the language of the Klamath Indians of Oregon. The first ten words in the Klamath scale are:[81] 1. nash, or nas. 2. lap = hand. 3. ndan. 4. vunep = hand up. 5. tunep = hand away. 6. nadshkshapta = 1 I have bent over. 7. lapkshapta = 2 I have bent over. 8. ndankshapta = 3 I have bent over. 9. nadshskeksh = 1 left over. 10. taunep = hand hand? In describing this system Mr. Gatschet says: "If the origin of the Klamath numerals is thus correctly traced, their inventors must have counted only the four long fingers without the thumb, and 5 was counted while saying _hand away! hand off!_ The 'four,' or _hand high! hand up!_ intimates that the hand was held up high after counting its four digits; and some term expressing this gesture was, in the case of _nine_, substituted by 'one left over' ... which means to say, 'only one is left until all the fingers are counted.'" It will be observed that the Klamath introduces not only the |
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