Keywords
Dual, numerals, Pirahã, Daniel Everett, logical-historical development
Abstract
Several ancient languages use linguistic structures to differentiate between singular, dual, and plural forms that are used when one, two, or many objects are referenced. (Some languages go further, adding a trial form to differentiate two from three.) In many modern languages, numerals are used to convey precise number. After reviewing a range of ways languages express number (including the interesting case of Pirahã which does not express precise number), the paper concludes with a proposed developmental path for the expression of quantity in languages.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5038/1936-4660.19.2.1518
Recommended Citation
Nicosia, Giovanni Giuseppe G.. "Numerals and Other Means of Expressing Plurality in Language and Thought: A Developmental Perspective Across Cultures.." Numeracy 19, Iss. 2 (2026): Article 3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5038/1936-4660.19.2.1518
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
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