R: Re: Tiny Ini Update

Teoh wrote:


> On Tue, Aug 08, 2000 at 05:03:09PM -0400, nicole perrin wrote:
> [snip]
> > Anyway, I have a question about Ini's new feature.  What do you call a
> > base nine system?  (You know, along the lines of binary & decimal)  And
> > what do you call systems with other bases?  And, ObConlang, whose
> > conlangs use number systems with weird bases?
>
> I think a base-9 system is called "nonimal"... but I could be wrong, since
> I'm just extrapolating from the fact that "decimal" is "deci-" (10) and
> "-mal", and "noni-" is the radix for 9. It could be "nonary" in analogy to
> "binary", but I don't think so. :-)
: )

Nah, 'decimal' derives from lat. 'decimalis', which is from 'decimus' =
'tenth'. 'Ninth' is 'nonus', thus it should be *'nonalis' > nonal , if you
want to make it up this way!

> And talking about conlangs with weird number bases... I'm starting a
> conlang which will probably use a base-3 or base-9 numbering system (not
> sure yet). The reason I chose 3 or 9 isn't arbitrary either... it's a
> principal part in the philosophy of the culture behind the language.
Welcome on the list! Send us something more about your conlangs!

>
> T
Luca