Universal #1355

Legacy number: 1355

 Number  1351
 Original  Every superessive or possessive augend is a serialized augend.
 Standardized  In numeral systems, every superessive or possessive augend is a serialized augend.
 Keywords  numeral
 Domain  word formation
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  56 languages mentioned in Greenberg 1978a
 Source  Greenberg 1978a: 266 (#17)

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Discussion
Notes
1. By serialization Greenberg means: Whenever there are at least two successive numbers ‘x’, ‘x+1’..., such that each is expressed as the sum of some constant ‘y’ and ‘z’, ‘z+1’ ..., respectively, ‘y’ is an augend by serialization. For example in English, let ‘x’ be ‘twenty-one’, ‘y+1’ be ‘twenty-two’, etc. The numbers are expressed as (2x10)+1, (2x10)+2, etc., respectively. Hence 20 is the augend by serialization in these expressions, and 1, 2 ... are addends. The augend may have either simple lexical representation or be internally complex (cf. #1352), as with 20 = 2x10 in this example.2. By superessive vs. possessive augend Greenberg means the following:There is a word or affix meaning ‘upon’. It will be called a superessive link. By its very meaning it would seem to go with the augend. If we add three items to ten, then three are put on the heap of ten and not vice versa. ‘Under’ never occurs as a link. (...) An invariant relation also holds with the rather rare ‘possessive link’, e.g. Quechua (Andean) 11 which is ‘cunka ukni-yug’ ‘ten one-having’ which parallels Mountain Nubian (Eastern Sudanic) with 11 ‘ten one-having’, i.e. ‘ten’ which possesses a ‘one’.See also ##1356, 1359.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. By serialization Greenberg means: Whenever there are at least two successive numbers 'x', 'x+1'..., such that each is expressed as the sum of some constant 'y' and 'z', 'z+1' ..., respectively, 'y' is an augend by serialization. For example in English, let 'x' be 'twenty-one', 'y+1' be 'twenty-two', etc. The numbers are expressed as (2x10)+1, (2x10)+2, etc., respectively. Hence 20 is the augend by serialization in these expressions, and 1, 2 ... are addends. The augend may have either simple lexical representation or be internally complex (cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1352"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">), as with 20 = 2x10 in this example.

2. By superessive vs. possessive augend Greenberg means the following: There is a word or affix meaning 'upon'. It will be called a superessive link. By its very meaning it would seem to go with the augend. If we add three items to ten, then three are put on the heap of ten and not vice versa. 'Under' never occurs as a link. (...) An invariant relation also holds with the rather rare 'possessive link', e.g. Quechua (Andean) 11 which is 'čunka ukni-yug' 'ten one-having' which parallels Mountain Nubian (Eastern Sudanic) with 11 'ten one-having', i.e. 'ten' which possesses a 'one'. See also <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1356"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1359"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">.