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DECEMBER, 1907.]
RECORD OF THE LANGUAGES OF SAVAGES.
1.The Higher Numbers.
After this the islands break off on their own lines. Thus T. carries on the standard of ten score (mamila) for all the higher figures: 200,000 being in that dialect simply 5 score mamila (5 x 20 x 2,000). C. N. and Ch. do so also as far as 100,000, which is in all the three dialects 2 score 5 pairs mamila (kaine) or [2 x 20+ 5 (2)] x 2,000; but Ch. alternatively commences a new standard at two mamila or two hundred score (4,000) called metnētchya and carries that on to all figures. Thus for Ch.
20,000 is alternatively 5 metñetchya (5 x 4,000) 100,000 is 1 score 5 metñetchya [ (20+ 5) x 4,000] 200,000 is 2 score 10 metñetchya [(40 + 10) x 4,000]
At 10 kaine (10 x 2,000 20,000) O. N. commences a new alternative standard, lak (borrowed from the Malay and Far Eastern laksa 10,00051), meaning 10,000 pairs (= 20,000) cocoannts. This is carried on to all the high figures. Thus
20,000 is 1 lak 100,000 is 5 lak 200,000 is 10 lâk
By an interesting expression C. N. says dròngte lak, half lak, for 10,000. This proves that doktai, "and-a-half" (scores) of C. and S. really contains a lost root for "half." Also it is to be noticed that when C. and S. get into large figures they have borrowed the T. Ch. alternative term for score. Thus -
200,000 in C. and S. is heang inai tanai tom momohtama, one score (and) five score (of) score-of-scores (20+5 x 20 x 20 x 20).
j.
Cocoanut Beckoning Standards.
The following table will show briefly the standards for reckoning cocoanuts:... all islands II. 10 pairs or score... all islands
I. pair
III. 10 score
IV. score of scores
Ch. T., C. N. C., S., C. N. ...Ch., T., C. N.
V. 10 ten-scores
VI. score of ten-scores... Ch. VII. 10,000 pairs
... C. N.
***
1
1
365
1
1
1
1
1
tafüa (tafual, takdal, tahòl)
inai (tom) ...
là (nòng,òng)
2
20 200
momchiama (pomchiama, michama) 400
mamila (kaiñe)
2,000 4,000
metñetchya
lâk (borrowed trade term) ... 20,000
C. N. and Ch. have thus six standards and Car Nicobar has the highest: T. has four standards: C. and S. have three. These standards opportunity of the various islanders.
exactly indicate the relative trading
The Shom Pen have no trade, but they can easily reckon up to 80,000, thus teya inai teo 10 score (of) teo [(10 x 20) x 400 80,000]. They have three standards I, pair, 1 ta-àu, 2: II, score, 1 inai, 20: III, score of scores, 1 teo 400. They do not, in fact, fall behind the other islanders in the capacity for grasping and reckoning in abstract figures.
81 Not from the Indian lakh 100,000. Both laksa (10,000) and lakh (100,000) are from the same root as the Sanskrit laksha.
