Universal #542
Legacy number: 542
| Number | 540 |
| Original | In numeral systems with simple lexical representation, there is the following correlation: These simplest systems parallel that of number in the noun. Corresponding to L = 2 is a singular/plural distinction, and to L = 3, singular/dual/plural. |
| Standardized | In numeral systems with only simple lexical representation: IF the limit number is 2, THEN there is a singular/plural distinction, and vice versa. IF the limit number is 3, THEN there is a singular/dual/plural distinction, and vice versa. |
| Keywords | numeral, number, dual, plural, singular |
| Domain | inflection, word formation |
| Type | mutual implication |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | statistical |
| Basis | 56 languages mentioned in Greenberg 1978a |
| Source | Greenberg 1978a: 256 |
Discussion
Notes
1. L stands for the “limit number” which every human language has (cf. ##527, 528) as the next largest natural number after the largest expressible in the system. 2. By the term ‘lexical expression’ Greenberg means: Every numeral expresses a number as a function with one or more numbers as arguments. E.g. ‘twenty-three’ in English expresses 23 as a function (a x b) + c in which the argument ‘a’ has the value 10, ‘b’ the value 2, and ‘c’ the value 3. A limiting case is the identity function which has the same value as its argument, e.g. ‘three’ = 3. If this is the case, we may say that a particular number receives simple lexical representation, that means it does not involve any except the identity function (cf. #530).3. The relationship between the simplest systems and that of number in the noun can be illustrated in Worora (Wororan, Australian) where there is only a simple numeral root which means 1 in the singular,‘iaru˜’, 2 in the dual, ‘iaru˜andu’ and 3 or more in the plural, ‘iaru˜uri’.
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2. By the term 'lexical expression' Greenberg means: Every numeral expresses a number as a function with one or more numbers as arguments. E.g. 'twenty-three' in English expresses 23 as a function (a x b) + c in which the argument 'a' has the value 10, 'b' the value 2, and 'c' the value 3. A limiting case is the identity function which has the same value as its argument, e.g. 'three' = 3. If this is the case, we may say that a particular number receives simple lexical representation, that means it does not involve any except the identity function (cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=530"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">).
3. The relationship between the simplest systems and that of number in the noun can be illustrated in Worora (Wororan, Australian) where there is only a simple numeral root which means 1 in the singular,'iaru÷', 2 in the dual, 'iaru÷andu' and 3 or more in the plural, 'iaru÷uri'.