Thursday, December 11, 2014

Detail #129: A Distinction in a Number System

Imagine a language that for relatively small numbers ­– say two to a dozen or so – distinguish 'natural group' and 'arbitrary group'. (I will distinguish these as NG and AG in glosses.)
five-NG brothers: five brothers (they have the same mother
five-AG brothers: five persons who all are males and have brothers
ten-NG sailors: ten sailors of the same crew
ten-AG sailors: ten sailors in general 
  

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