Re: Possible base-20 numeric system
| From: | caeruleancentaur <caeruleancentaur@...> |
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| Date: | Sunday, October 24, 2004, 18:02 |
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--- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, "Mark J. Reed" <markjreed@M...> wrote:
On Sun, Oct 24, 2004 at 04:30:03PM +0100, Chris Bates wrote:
> >Dual-base systems are bizarre? Systems using 20x5 are not that
uncommon;
> >Welsh, Danish, French (for 60 and 80) and Georgian are just a few
that do
> >such.
>
> And Basque!
>>Let's not forget that English has a mixed-base system, too. The
>>non-decimal words are used mostly in specialized contexts these
days,
>>but were once ubiquitous: dozen (12), score (20), gross
(12x12) . . .
-Marcos
The Senyecan numbering system is a bit weird.
There are words for the numbers 1 - 10, and words for twenty,
hundred, and thousand. Hundred and thousand are nouns and the items
numbered are in the genitive: 200 ships = nààusósi döoo
cemtóni (of
ships two hundreds). Thousand = yhéslon. Million =
yhèslëyheslóni.
I haven't learned the higher numbers yet.
All compounds are made by simply juxtaposing the numbers required
without a co-ordinating conjunction: 11 = détsem ói. 23 =
wicémti
tir.
The formation of the tens is the weird part. They alternate between
decimal and vigesmal!
30 = tirdétsem
40 = döìwicémti
50 = pèncöëdétsem
60 = tìrwicémti
70 = sèftëdétsem
80 = cöèturwicémti
90 = nèundétsem
There are symbols for use in base 10 and symbols for use in base 20.
I have not done any work with the base 20 symbols. I have enough
trouble thinking in base 10!
Charlie