Re: Ebisedian number system (II)

H. S. Teoh sikyal:

> Hence, this word means "(4+3*2) fingers", that is, "10 fingers". Why this
> odd breakdown? Mainly because the Ebisedi have two hands, and they think
> it's funny to count 9 fingers and add 1. They feel it's more "natural" to
> divide the fingers into 2 groups (the suffix -jei'), use the closest
> triad multiple (3), and then add the leftovers (4) to the total. After
> all, 2 and 4 are even numbers; 9 wouldn't be.
So they do have 10 fingers?  Perhaps then, alongside the triad system,
they might have a word meaning just "ten," just like we have a word
"dozen" alongside our base-10 system. Probably derived from the word
"hand"--although the word derived from "hand" might mean "five," giving
them "two hands" of fingers. (Duh).

> Why would a man and a woman give different answers? Because the Ebisedi
> make a distinction between male and female body parts.
Oh, and I'm thinking of something much less innocent after these two
sentences . . . .


Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/

"If you look at a thing nine hundred and ninety-nine times, you are
perfectly safe; if you look at it the thousandth time, you are in
frightful danger of seeing it for the first time."
--G.K. Chesterton

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