Saraveca language

Last updated
Saraveca
Native to Bolivia
RegionEastern lowlands
Extinct 2nd millennium
Arawakan
Language codes
ISO 639-3 sar
Glottolog sara1331
ELP Saraveca
Lang Status 01-EX.svg

Saraveca is an extinct Arawakan language once spoken in Bolivia by the Sarave. It is said [1] [2] to be the only language with a numeral system based exclusively on five, although quinary systems exist. To some extent this is also an areal feature of other South American languages; many form their numbers 6–9 as "five + one", "five + two" and so on.

Related Research Articles

Chinese numerals are words and characters used to denote numbers in written Chinese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decimal</span> Number in base-10 numeral system

The decimal numeral system is the standard system for denoting integer and non-integer numbers. It is the extension to non-integer numbers of the Hindu–Arabic numeral system. The way of denoting numbers in the decimal system is often referred to as decimal notation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Numeral system</span> Notation for expressing numbers

A numeral system is a writing system for expressing numbers; that is, a mathematical notation for representing numbers of a given set, using digits or other symbols in a consistent manner.

In linguistics, a numeral in the broadest sense is a word or phrase that describes a numerical quantity. Some theories of grammar use the word "numeral" to refer to cardinal numbers that act as a determiner that specify the quantity of a noun, for example the "two" in "two hats". Some theories of grammar do not include determiners as a part of speech and consider "two" in this example to be an adjective. Some theories consider "numeral" to be a synonym for "number" and assign all numbers to a part of speech called "numerals". Numerals in the broad sense can also be analyzed as a noun, as a pronoun, or for a small number of words as an adverb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman numerals</span> Numbers in the Roman numeral system

Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, each letter with a fixed integer value. Modern style uses only these seven:

A senary numeral system has six as its base. It has been adopted independently by a small number of cultures. Like the decimal base 10, the base is a semiprime, though it is unique as the product of the only two consecutive numbers that are both prime. As six is a superior highly composite number, many of the arguments made in favor of the duodecimal system also apply to the senary system.

0 (zero) is a number representing an empty quantity. Adding 0 to any number leaves that number unchanged. In mathematical terminology, 0 is the additive identity of the integers, rational numbers, real numbers, and complex numbers, as well as other algebraic structures. Multiplying any number by 0 has the result 0, and consequently, division by zero has no meaning in arithmetic.

Thai numerals are a set of numerals traditionally used in Thailand, although the Arabic numerals are more common due to extensive westernization of Thailand in the modern Rattanakosin period. Thai numerals follow the Hindu–Arabic numeral system commonly used in the rest of the world. In Thai language, numerals often follow the modified noun and precede a measure word, although variations to this pattern occur.

The Japanese numerals are Numerals that are used in Japanese. In writing, they are the same as the Chinese numerals, and large numbers follow the Chinese style of grouping by 10,000. Two pronunciations are used: the Sino-Japanese (on'yomi) readings of the Chinese characters and the Japanese yamato kotoba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vigesimal</span> Base-20 numeral system

A vigesimal or base-20 (base-score) numeral system is based on twenty. Vigesimal is derived from the Latin adjective vicesimus, meaning 'twentieth'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Positional notation</span> Method for representing or encoding numbers

Positional notation usually denotes the extension to any base of the Hindu–Arabic numeral system. More generally, a positional system is a numeral system in which the contribution of a digit to the value of a number is the value of the digit multiplied by a factor determined by the position of the digit. In early numeral systems, such as Roman numerals, a digit has only one value: I means one, X means ten and C a hundred. In modern positional systems, such as the decimal system, the position of the digit means that its value must be multiplied by some value: in 555, the three identical symbols represent five hundreds, five tens, and five units, respectively, due to their different positions in the digit string.

Quinary is a numeral system with five as the base. A possible origination of a quinary system is that there are five digits on either hand.

The Korean language has two regularly used sets of numerals: a native Korean system and Sino-Korean system. The native Korean number system is used for general counting, like counting up to 99. It is also used to count people, hours, objects, ages, and more. Sino-Korean numbers on the other hand are used for purposes such as dates, money, minutes, addresses, phone numbers, and numbers above 99.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attic numerals</span> Symbolic number notation used by the ancient Greeks

The Attic numerals are a symbolic number notation used by the ancient Greeks. They were also known as Herodianic numerals because they were first described in a 2nd-century manuscript by Herodian; or as acrophonic numerals because the basic symbols derive from the first letters of the (ancient) Greek words that the symbols represented.

In linguistics, ordinal numerals or ordinal number words are words representing position or rank in a sequential order; the order may be of size, importance, chronology, and so on. They differ from cardinal numerals, which represent quantity and other types of numerals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaktovik numerals</span> Inuit numeral system for a base-20 counting system

The Kaktovik numerals or Kaktovik Iñupiaq numerals are a base-20 system of numerical digits created by Alaskan Iñupiat. They are visually iconic, with shapes that indicate the number being represented.

Burmese numerals are a set of numerals traditionally used in the Burmese language, although Arabic numerals are also used. Burmese numerals follow the Hindu–Arabic numeral system commonly used in the rest of the world.

Javanese numerals are a set of numerals traditionally used in the Javanese language, although Arabic numerals are also used. Javanese numerals follow the Hindu–Arabic numeral system commonly used in the rest of the world.

The Luo alphabet was invented by Kefa Ombewa and Paul Sidandi between 2009 and 2012 to write Luo languages, specifically Dholuo of Kenya, in a unique way. The script is a left-to-right alphabet, with 33 letters connected to each other by a line running along the bottom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tally marks</span> Numeral form used for counting

Tally marks, also called hash marks, are a form of numeral used for counting. They can be thought of as a unary numeral system.

References

  1. Wells, David (1997). The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers. Penguin UK. ISBN   978-0-14-026149-3.
  2. Encyclopædia Britannica, "Numerals and numeral systems".