The Number Concept: Its Origin and Development Part 35

60. mulu sabba = 20 3.

70. mulu sabba nintang = 60 + 10.

80. mulu nani = 20 4.

90. mulu nani nintang = 80 + 10.

100. kemi.

This completes the scanty list of African vigesimal number systems that a patient and somewhat extended search has yielded. It is remarkable that the number is no greater. Quinary counting is not uncommon in the "Dark Continent," and there is no apparent reason why vigesimal reckoning should be any less common than quinary. Any one investigating African modes of counting with the material at present accessible, will find himself hampered by the fact that few explorers have collected any except the first ten numerals. This leaves the formation of higher terms entirely unknown, and shows nothing beyond the quinary or non-quinary character of the system. Still, among those which Stanley, Schweinfurth, Salt, and others have collected, by far the greatest number are decimal. As our knowledge of African languages is extended, new examples of the vigesimal method may be brought to light. But our present information leads us to believe that they will be few in number.

In Asia the vigesimal system is to be found with greater frequency than in Europe or Africa, but it is still the exception. As Asiatic languages are much better known than African, it is probable that the future will add but little to our stock of knowledge on this point. New instances of counting by twenties may still be found in northern Siberia, where much ethnological work yet remains to be done, and where a tendency toward this form of numeration has been observed to exist. But the total number of Asiatic vigesimal scales must always remain small--quite insignificant in comparison with those of decimal formation.

In the Caucasus region a group of languages is found, in which all but three or four contain vigesimal systems. These systems are as follows:

ABKHASIA.[349]

10. zpha-ba.

20. gphozpha = 2 10.

30. gphozphei zphaba = 20 + 10.

40. gphin-gphozpha = 2 20.

60. chin-gphozpha = 3 20.

80. phsin-gphozpha = 4 20.

100. sphki.

AVARI

10. antsh-go.

20. qo-go.

30. lebergo.

40. khi-qogo = 2 20.

50. khiqojalda antshgo = 40 + 10.

60. lab-qogo = 3 20.

70. labqojalda antshgo = 60 + 10.

80. un-qogo = 4 20.

100. nusgo.

KURI

10. tshud.

20. chad.

30. channi tshud = 20 + 10.

40. jachtshur.

50. jachtshurni tshud = 40 + 10.

60. put chad = 3 20.

70. putchanni tshud = 60 + 10.

80. kud-chad = 4 20.

90. kudchanni tshud = 80 + 10.

100. wis.

UDI

10. witsh.

20. qa.

30. sa-qo-witsh = 20 + 10.

40. pha-qo = 2 20.

50. pha-qo-witsh = 40 + 10.

60. chib-qo = 3 20.

70. chib-qo-witsh = 60 + 10.

80. bip-qo = 4 20.

90. bip-qo-witsh = 80 + 10.

100. bats.

1000. hazar (Persian).

TCHETCHNIA

10. ith.

20. tqa.

30. tqe ith = 20 + 10.

40. sauz-tqa = 2 20.

50. sauz-tqe ith = 40 + 10.

60. chuz-tqa = 3 20.

70. chuz-tqe ith = 60 + 10.

80. w-iez-tqa = 4 20.

90. w-iez-tqe ith = 80 + 10.

100. b'e.

1000. ezir (akin to Persian).

THUSCH

10. itt.

20. tqa.

30. tqa-itt = 20 + 10.

40. sauz-tq = 2 20.

50. sauz-tqa-itt = 40 + 10.

60. chouz-tq = 3 20.

70. chouz-tqa-itt = 60 + 10.

80. dhewuz-tq = 4 20.

90. dhewuz-tqa-itt = 80 + 10.

100. phchauz-tq = 5 20.

200. itsha-tq = 10 20.

300. phehiitsha-tq = 15 20.

1000. satsh tqauz-tqa itshatqa = 2 20 20 + 200.

GEORGIA