The Number Concept - Its Origin and Development by Levi Leonard Conant
page 68 of 286 (23%)
page 68 of 286 (23%)
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impression of mental poverty; though it may, of course, be urged that this
might arise from the fact that some races never use the toes in counting, but go over the fingers again, or perhaps bring into requisition the fingers of a second man to express the second 10. It is not safe to postulate an extremely low degree of civilization from the presence of certain peculiarities of numeral formation. Only the most general statements can be ventured on, and these are always subject to modification through some circumstance connected with environment, mode of living, or intercourse with other tribes. Two South American races may be cited, which seem in this respect to give unmistakable evidence of being sunk in deepest barbarism. These are the Juri and the Cayriri, who use the same word for man and for 5. The former express 5 by _ghomen apa_, 1 man,[115] and the latter by _ibicho_, person.[116] The Tasmanians of Oyster Bay use the native word of similar meaning, _puggana_, man,[117] for 5. Wherever the numeral 20 is expressed by the term _man_, it may be expected that 40 will be 2 men, 60, 3 men, etc. This form of numeration is usually, though not always, carried as far as the system extends; and it sometimes leads to curious terms, of which a single illustration will suffice. The San Blas Indians, like almost all the other Central and South American tribes, count by digit numerals, and form their twenties as follows:[118] 20. tula guena = man 1. 40. tula pogua = man 2. 100. tula atala = man 5. 120. tula nergua = man 6. 1000. tula wala guena = great 1 man. The last expression may, perhaps, be translated "great hundred," though the literal meaning is the one given. If 10, instead of 20, is expressed by the |
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