LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.12.05 (09) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Peter Snepvangers <snepvangers at optushome.com.au>
Subject: Language varieties


From: Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk> Numerals one to ten,
Ron, surely?

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
I'm afraid not.  Truly universally you can go no farther than "three," or
even just "two."  There is a whole bunch of languages, typically those of
people who got separated relatively early, especially in Southern Africa,
Australia, the Island of Papua-New Guinea/Irian Jaya, and South America,
that do not count to ten, quite a few only "one" -> "two" -> "three" ->
"many"

Hello Ron,
As a child I asked my English teacher how many was many?
He replied with reference to aboriginals working on a cattle station in the
Northern Territory (where his father apparently worked at some time). The
English language skills were learned from missionaries, bush radio and
Jackeroos that were seasonally hired for mustering cattle. They always
referred to 1 as one. We want this one, that one is the toughest. Number 2
was always called a couple (coupla). A coupla days ago. I want a coupla
shillings. Numeral 3 was always called a few. A few horses need shoeing.
Anything between 5 and 10 was always called several. Any number greater than
about 10 was referred to as many. The word many would be repeated twice or
three times to signify a greater amount eg many, many. These people did not
seem to speak in numerals but in concept words of what the numerals value
referred to. Reading and writing skills were poor but they all spoke their
own languages when they knew the groups and English.
Cheers
Peter Snepvangers snepvangers at optushome.com.au

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