Numeral systems of Mexico and Central America / by Cyrus Thomas.

  • Cyrus Thomas
Date:
[1901]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Numeral systems of Mexico and Central America / by Cyrus Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    76/116 page 922
    60+L, or ve-tapa qulzaJuichaa-cdijona^ whic-li is -i from 60, etc. The jVIiizateca, Mixe, Zoque, and Trike appear to follow throughout the Nahuatl method of adding the minor numbers to the preceding base. The Othomian, Tarascan, and Totonacan systems are similar to the Huastecan—that is to sa}’, are decimal-vigesimal—and form the higher numerals by adding the minor numbers to the preceding base. Extending our inquiry northward to the Sonoran and Shoshonean branches of the Nahuatlan famil}^, we notice the gradual change to the decimal system. For example, in the Cahita count the quinary- vigesimal rule prevails; 6, 7. and 10 are based on 5; 8 on 4; 11 to 19 on 10, or, rather, twice five. From 20 upward the count is vigesimal, 10 when used retaining throughout its form of 2x5. The contact, however, in this region with the decimal sj-stem is clearly indicated by the following statement of the author of the Arte Lengua Cahita, given above: “Some nations say senutacaua or sesevehere for 20; others say for 10 sesaveliere and follow up the count thus: 11, sesavahere aman sen a,' 12, sesavehere aman aoi^ etc. For 20 the} say xiosavehere^ which is two times 10. The Yaqui say for 5 sesavehere^ and counting from 5 to 5 say uosaoehere^ 10 [=2x5]; vahlvehere, 15 [ = 3X5]. These also say for 20 sen a iacaua [1X 20] or naeqaivehere [dX 5], and for 25 sesavehere (this particular count is of this nation only), and for 100 say mamnitacaaa [5X20] or tacaavehere^ which is 20 lives.” In the paragraph which follows he states in general terms that some of the tribes count by lives, others by tens, both using the same term, vehere^ prefixing the “numeral abverbs” sesa^ “one time,” “two times,” etc. The “nations” alluded to are probably the Cahita tribes, such as the Tehu- eco, Zuaque, Mayo, Yaqui, and other related or neighboring tribes. This change in the application of a given term in closely related dia- lects is not only interesting, but somewhat remarkable; and added to the fact that the closely related Tarahumari of the same section use the decimal system, indicates that the latter and the vigesimal system here came into contact. Do the data furnish evidence as to which was the spreading or aggressive and which the yielding one { Without entering into a discussion of the question the following facts are presented for the l)enetit of those desiring to look further into this subject. The similarity of the number names of the Cahita and Tarahumari to those of the Nahuatl is too apparent to pass unobserved even by the mere cursory glance. Include the allied Opata and take for example the numbers 1 to 5 and 10, as follow: 1 2 3 ■1 5 10 Opata se go-de vei-de nago marizi inakoi Cahita se-nn uoi vahi, or bei nacqui mamni uo-mamni Tarahumari hire oca bei-ca nagno inarika inakoe Nahuatl ce ome yei iiani maeuilli raatlactli
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