Re: ConNumbers

Boudewijn Rempt wrote:
>
> On Tue, 8 Jun 1999, Chris Peters wrote:
>
> >         So I thought to myself, who would count in base-6?  Certainly nobody I know
> > about ... all natlangs I've even touched in my studies count in base-10.
> > And I'm rather prejudiced against creating an alien culture for my language
> > (the reasons for that are best left to a different thread).  So I'd like to
> > know from y'all, is there a precedent for any human language with a number
> > system besides base-10?  And how did that manifest itself in the culture
> > that used it?
> >
>
> If I recall rightly, the Babylonians have been the first attested culture
> with a base-12 system, of which traces abound in lots of languages. No doubt
> related to rumours (as spread by R.A. Lafferty), that the Babylonians
> had six fingers...
I think you both joined the list fairly recently... last fall we had a
long
thread about the different ancient counting systems.  Both Welsh and
French
are a base 20 system.  Several conlangs, it seems, including Teonaht
have
a base 12 or 24 system.  Maybe twelve-fingered humanoids are pretty
common!


Sally