DOUBLE NUMERAL SYSTEMs differentiate between either two lexically distinct forms for the number ‘one’ or two different numeral series. Greenberg labels these two sets of numerals A-forms and B-forms. Typically, A-forms are used in constructions expressing “artificial unit formation”, while B-forms usually express “natural unit counting”, cf. ‘five cupfuls’ [which is a non-standard measure] (A construction) vs. ‘five cups’ (B construction), which in a numeral classifier language corresponds to the contrast ‘ five cup sugar’ vs. ‘five round-object cup’ (cf. #1629). Additionally, A-forms seem to be syntactically dependent, i. e. they cannot stand alone but must be immediately followed by the item counted, while B-forms are independent ones (cf. #1628). Note that Javanese has no morphological category for number.
DOUBLE NUMERAL SYSTEMs differentiate between either two lexically distinct forms for the number ‘one’ or two different numeral series. Greenberg labels these two sets of numerals A-forms and B-forms. Typically, A-forms are used in constructions expressing “artificial unit formation”, while B-forms usually express “natural unit counting”, cf. ‘five cupfuls’ [which is a non-standard measure] (A construction) vs. ‘five cups’ (B construction), which in a numeral classifier language corresponds to the contrast ‘ five cup sugar’ vs. ‘five round-object cup’ (cf. #1629). Additionally, A-forms seem to be syntactically dependent, i. e. they cannot stand alone but must be immediately followed by the item counted, while B-forms are independent ones (cf. #1628). Note that Javanese has no morphological category for number.