Re: Vocab #5

--- In conlang@y..., Christopher B Wright <faceloran@J...> wrote:
> A lir Christian Thalmann sekalge
> ---
> The Obrenje "while" is in fact a 64th of a "sector", which in turn is
> an 8th of a day.  Similarly, a "moment" is a 64th of a "while".
> ---
>
> Do those who speak Obrenje use a base 8 counting system?
They do.  The system is based on ancient hand signs which denote
digits:

(thumb|fingers), (.) = curled down (as in a fist), (O) = stretched

0 = (.|....)
1 = (.|O...)
2 = (O|O...)
3 = (O|OO..)
4 = (.|OOOO)
5 = (O|OOOO)
6 = (O|O..O)
7 = (O|...O)

Numbers from 0 to 63 can thus be formed with two hands (one above the
other).  Higher numbers can be signified by placing the upper hand
below the lower hand to produce the third digit, then moving the now
upper hand below to show the fourth digit etc.

Eight is a nice number, about the same order of magnitude as our ten,
but it divides nicer: 2 x 2 x 2 rather than 2 x 5.  Most importantly:
It's not ten!  Is there anything more boring than ten-based systems?
;-)


-- Christian Thalmann

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