Universal #1358

Legacy number: 1358

 Number  1354
 Original  The maximum number of sporadic addends is two.
 Standardized  In numeral systems, the maximum number of sporadic addends is two.
 Keywords  numeral
 Domain  word formation
 Type  unconditional
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  56 languages mentioned in Greenberg 1978a
 Source  Greenberg 1978a: 268 (#20)

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Discussion
Notes
1. This principle may be illustrated by Kato (Athabaskan). In Kato, 9 is “bun-naka-naka” ‘five-two-two’. However, “bun” ‘five’ is a serialized augend, as can be seen from 6 which is ‘five-one’ and 7 which is ‘five-two’. Hence the analysis of 9 here is 5+(2+2). In fact 4 is “naka-naka” ‘two-two’.2. 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, we will say that ‘y’ is an augend by serialization. We may illustrate this from English. Let ‘x’ be ‘twenty-one’, ‘y+1’ be ‘twenty-two’, etc. They 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 expression or be internally complex (cf. #1352), as with 20 = 2x10 in this example. Note also #1363.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. This principle may be illustrated by Kato (Athabaskan). In Kato, 9 is 'bun-naka-naka' 'five-two-two'. However, 'bun' 'five' is a serialized augend, as can be seen from 6 which is 'five-one' and 7 which is 'five-two'. Hence the analysis of 9 here is 5+(2+2). In fact 4 is 'naka-naka' 'two-two'.

2. 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, we will say that 'y' is an augend by serialization. We may illustrate this from English. Let 'x' be 'twenty-one', 'y+1' be 'twenty-two', etc. They 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 expression 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. Note also <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1363"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">.