Re: Biwa (was: YAC: ...) (slightly off-topic)

Nik Taylor sikayal:

> Mikael Johansson wrote:
> > The number _three_ is
> > extremely prevalent throughout their culture, as a practical joke from their
> > creators; and thus they
> > a) have three numeri, and
> > b) distinguish triplets.
> >
> > Thus, singular/dual, trial and plural.
>
> Interesting explanation, but I would think that that would change,
> perhaps people would change it to singular, dual/trial, and plural.  Or
> possibly singular, paucal [a few], and plural.
That's a typically humano-centric view.  Since these people were given
intelligence, it follows that their creators wouldn't have given them the
sorts of "human" intuitions that lead to these generalizations.

:-)

>
> --
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Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
"It is of the new things that men tire--of fashions and proposals and
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