When numbers are not what they seem – analysis of the functions and distribution of numerals in the numeronyms featured in the “Netlingo Dictionary of Texting Terms & Online Acronyms”

The paper attempts to explore the concept of numeronyms, which, in the literature of the subject, are perceived as numeral-based words. Its principal aim is to contribute to the existing discussion about numeronymy by offering a fresh perspective, concentrated on the raison d'être of numeronyms, i.e., numerical figures incorporated within. The analysis concerns particular examples of numeronyms, as featured in the “Netlingo Dictionary of Texting Terms & Online Acronyms”. This source comprises a list of acronyms and shorthands derived from two language varieties: textspeak and online slang. Specifically, subject to the analysis are those terms that, in their written form, contain numerical figures. The corpus of 200 numeronyms is scrutinised with respect to two factors, namely, the function the numeral performs in the numeronym, as well as the possible patterns regarding the distribution of particular numerals. The research, both quantitative and qualitative in nature, reveals four distinct functions of numerals within numeronyms: homophonic, conceptual, typographic and quantifying. Only the last group can be claimed to follow the function normally attributed to numerals, i.e., quantity property assignment. In turn, the distributionoriented analysis brings to light the conclusion that certain numerals that point to number words possessing homophonic properties feature in numeronyms more prominently than others.

An explicit, generative, and automatic syntactic representation of multi-digit numbers

Representing the base-10 structure of numbers is a challenging cognitively ability, unique to humans, but it is yet unknown how precisely this is done. Here, we examined whether and how literate adults represent a number’s full syntactic structure. In 5 experiments, the participants repeated sequences of 6-7 number words, and we systematically varied the order of words within the sequence. Repetition was more accurate when the sequence was grammatical (e.g., ninety-seven) than when it was not (seven-ninety). The performance monotonously improved for sequences with increasingly longer grammatical segments, up to a limit of ~4 words per segment, irrespectively of the number of digits, and worsened thereafter. We conclude that at least for numbers up to 6 digits long, participants represented the number’s full syntactic structure and used it to merge number words into chunks in short-term memory. Short chunks improved memorization, but oversized chunks disrupted memorization. The existence of a chunk size limit suggests that the chunks are not memorized templates, whose size limit is not expected to be so low. Rather, they are created ad-hoc by a generative process, such as the hierarchical syntactic representation hypothesized in Michael McCloskey’s number-processing model. Chunking occurred even when it disrupted performance, and even when external cues for chunking were controlled for or were removed; we conclude that the above generative process operates automatically rather than voluntarily.

Language effects in early development of number writing and reading

Reading and writing multidigit numbers requires accurate switching between Arabic numbers and spoken number words. This is particularly challenging in languages with number-word inversion such as German (24 is pronounced as four-and-twenty), as reported by Zuber, Pixner, Moeller, and Nuerk (2009, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2008.04.003). The current study aimed to replicate the qualitative error analysis by Zuber et al. and further extended their study: 1) A cross-linguistic (German, English) analysis enabled us to differentiate between language-dependent and more general transcoding challenges. 2) We investigated whether specific number structures influence accuracy rates. 3) To consider both transcoding directions (from Arabic numbers to number words and vice versa), we assessed performance for number reading in addition to number writing. 4) Our longitudinal design allowed us to investigate transcoding development between Grades 1 and 2. We assessed 170 German- and 264 English-speaking children. Children wrote and read the same set of 44 one-, two- and three-digit numbers, including the same number structures as Zuber et al. For German, we confirmed that a high amount of errors in number writing was inversion-related. For English, the percentage of inversion-related errors was very low. Accuracy rates were strongly related to number syntax. The impact of number structures was independent of transcoding direction or grade level and revealed cross-linguistic challenges of transcoding multidigit numbers. For instance, transcoding of three-digit numbers containing syntactic zeros (e.g., 109) was significantly more accurate than transcoding of items with lexical zeros (e.g., 190). Based on our findings, we suggest adaptations of current transcoding models.

Acquiring the cardinal knowledge of number words: A conceptual replication

Understanding the way in which counting represent numerosities was shown to be a long-lasting process. As shown in the Give-a-number task, acquiring the meanings of verbal number words goes through successive developmental stages in which children first learn the cardinal meanings of small number words one at a time before generalizing the cardinal principle they have induced from the first three number words to all number words within their counting range. This acquisition would take about a year, and would be completed by the age of 3 ½ years. The aim of the present study was to provide a conceptual replication of the developmental sequence described in Wynn’s study nearly 30 years ago using the Give-a-number task. A first cross-sectional study was conducted on 213 Belgian children aged between 39 and 74 months using the Give-a-number task to examine the developmental pattern and the influence of age on this acquisition. The time span of acquisition was examined in a second study in which 34 children were tested five times every months between the age of 36 to 52 months. Results showed that acquiring the cardinal meanings of number words spread out over a protracted period, far more extended than assumed by Wynn. Furthermore, children do not generalize all-at-once to large number words, the cardinal knowledge they learned on small number words. Rather, number words were found to be learned one at a time in a really progressive manner. Results were discussed with regard to their implications for the existing theories and in relation with other tasks assessing the acquisition of verbal number symbols.

The ways of speaking and the means of knowing

Tariana is an Arawak language spoken by about a hundred people in the Vaupés River Basin linguistic area in Brazil. A number of grammatical features reflect specific traits of the ways the people live. Manipulating genders correlates with the status of women: a respected and knowledgeable woman can be referred to with nonfeminine gender, as if 'promoted' to manhood. Classifiers occur in multiple environments, including number words, demonstratives, adjectives, and possessive constructions. Classifiers with specific semantics reflect riverine environment, taxonomic categorization of plants, and means of subsistence. Five evidentials obligatorily mark information source. Their use correlates with the requirement to be precise in stating how one knows things, and in the types of access to information. Nonvisual evidentials are used in talking about the feelings, physical states and uncontrolled actions of oneself and one’s core family members. Speakers are aware of the meanings and the uses of evidential, and are prepared to discuss and explain them. Evidentials are sensitive to technological changes, as they adjust to new ways of acquiring information. Evidentials and classifiers are shared across the multilingual area of the Vaupés River Basin. Contact between speakers of adjacent languages appear to have shaped the speakers’ interaction patterns and the associated language features. In contrast, gender manipulation is being lost by younger speakers, as the status of women undergoes transformations.

Cross-Format Integration of Auditory Number Words and Visual-Arabic Digits: An ERP Study

Converting visual-Arabic digits to auditory number words and vice versa is seemingly effortless for adults. However, it is still unclear whether this process takes place automatically and whether accessing the underlying magnitude representation is necessary during this process. In two event-related potential (ERP) experiments, adults were presented with identical (e.g., “one” and 1) or non-identical (e.g., “one” and 9) number pairs, either unimodally (two visual-Arabic digits) or cross-format (an auditory number word and a visual-Arabic digit). In Experiment 1 (N=17), active task demands required numerical judgments, whereas this was not the case in Experiment 2 (N=19). We found pronounced early ERP markers of numerical identity unimodally in both experiments. In the cross-format conditions, however, we only observed late neural correlates of identity and only if the task required semantic number processing (Experiment 1). These findings suggest that unimodal pairs of digits are automatically integrated, whereas cross-format integration of numerical information occurs more slowly and involves semantic access.

Counting and the ontogenetic origins of exact equality

Humans are unique in their capacity to both represent number exactly and to express these representations symbolically. This correlation has prompted debate regarding whether symbolic number systems are necessary to represent exact number. Previous work addressing this question in innumerate adults and semi-numerate children has been limited by conflicting results and differing methodologies, and has not yielded a clear answer. We address this debate by adapting methods used with innumerate populations (a “set-matching” task) for 3- to 5-year-old US children at varying stages of symbolic number acquisition. In five studies we find that children’s ability to match sets exactly is related not simply to knowing the meanings of a few number words, but also to understanding how counting is used to generate sets (i.e., the cardinal principle). However, while children were more likely to match sets after acquiring the cardinal principle, they nevertheless demonstrated failures, compatible with the hypothesis that the ability to reason about exact equality emerges sometime later. These findings provide important data on the origin of exact number concepts, and point to knowledge of a counting system, rather than number language in general, as a key ingredient in the ability to reason about large exact number.

Automatic integration of numerical formats examined with frequency-tagged EEG

How humans integrate and abstract numerical information across different formats is one of the most debated questions in human cognition. We addressed the neuronal signatures of the numerical integration using an EEG technique tagged at the frequency of visual stimulation. In an oddball design, participants were stimulated with standard sequences of numbers (< 5) depicted in single (digits, dots, number words) or mixed notation (dots—digits, number words—dots, digits—number words), presented at 10 Hz. Periodically, a deviant stimulus (> 5) was inserted at 1.25 Hz. We observed significant oddball amplitudes for all single notations, showing for the first time using this EEG technique, that the magnitude information is spontaneously and unintentionally abstracted, irrespectively of the numerical format. Significant amplitudes were also observed for digits—number words and number words—dots, but not for digits—dots, suggesting an automatic integration across some numerical formats. These results imply that direct and indirect neuro-cognitive links exist across the different numerical formats.

A new look at old numbers, and what it reveals about numeration

In this study, the archaic counting systems of Mesopotamia as understood through the Neolithic tokens, numerical impressions, and proto-cuneiform notations were compared to the traditional number-words and counting methods of Polynesia as understood through contemporary and historical descriptions of vocabulary and behaviors. The comparison and associated analyses capitalized on the ability to understand well-known characteristics of Uruk-period numbers like object-specific counting, polyvalence, and context-dependence through historical observations of Polynesian counting methods and numerical language, evidence unavailable for ancient numbers. Similarities between the two number systems were then used to argue that archaic Mesopotamian numbers, like those of Polynesia, were highly elaborated and would have served as cognitively efficient tools for mental calculation. Their differences also show the importance of material technologies like tokens, impressions, and notations to developing mathematics.

ANALISIS KESALAHAN PENGGUNAAN KATA BILANGAN UNIVERSAL “SEMUA, SEGALA, SELURUH DAN SEGENAP” PADA PEMULA PELAJAR MANDARIN INDONESIA

ABSTRAKPenelitian ini terutama ditujukan untuk analisis penguasaan dan kesalahan kata bilangan universal "semua", "segala" , “seluruh” dan "segenap" mahasiswa Indonesia dalam belajar bahasa Mandarin. Didalam Bahasa Indonesia juga memiliki kata bilangan yang serupa ini, tetapi kata bilangan tersebut masih berbeda dengan bilangan universal dalam bahasa mandarin. Oleh karena itu, mahasiswa Indonesia lebih cenderung membuat kesalahan saat mempelajari kata bilangan ini. Secara umum, tingkat terjadinya kesalahan lebih condong ke pembelajar pemula, penyebabnya yaitu pengaruh negatif dari bahasa ibu dan pemahaman bahasa mandarin yang tidak cukup dalam. Penulis menggunakan metode kualitatif dalam penelitian ini, dan didapatkan kesimpulan bahwa pelajar Indonesia mengalami kesulitan dalam menggunakan kata bantu bilangan universal bahasa Mandarin"semua", "segala" , “seluruh” dan "segenap" yaitu mereka tidak bisa membedakan pemakaian keempat kata bilangan tersebut.Kata Kunci: kesalahan penggunaan, kata bilangan se-, pelajar indonesia ABSTRACTThis article is mainly aimed at analyzing the mastery and errors of universal number words "所有，一切，全部” Indonesian students in learning Chinese. In Indonesian it also has a similar number word, but the number word is still different from the universal number in Chinese language. Therefore, Indonesian students are more likely to make mistakes when learning these number words. In general, the error rate is more likely for the beginner Chinese learners, the negative influence of the mother language and the insufficient understanding of the Chinese language. This analysis is based on the situation of beginner level students learning Chinese in Indonesia.Keywords: Usage errors, number words, Indonesian students