37.1957, Disc: Counting Toes?

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-37-1957. Tue Jun 02 2026. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 37.1957, Disc: Counting Toes?

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Date: 01-Jun-2026
From: Alexis Manaster Ramer [manasterramer at gmail.com]
Subject: Counting Toes?


I do not doubt that there are languages where the WORD for '20' is
etymologically something like '(whole) person', which fact is
constantly cited as proof that those people counted fingers AND TOES.
But two questions: (1) is there a language that actually has a numeral
that etymologically derives from a word for toe?  (2) Has anyone
observed people counting on fingers and toes?

Linguistic Field(s): Anthropological Linguistics
                     Historical Linguistics
                     Lexicography
                     Semantics




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LINGUIST List: Vol-37-1957
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