30 May
2010
30 May
'10
12:05 p.m.
Rich Alderson wrote:
There is a language in the Amazon Basin, I believe
Pirah?, (and this is
not like the "1,2,many" urban legend--there are write-ups in linguistic
journals) which works in base 19. Each finger joint, the back of the
hand, the wrist, the forearm, the upper arm, and the shoulder are the
counting points.
Dunno if this has already been mentioned but....
If you use a finger down as 0 and a finger up as 1, it's possible to
count to 1023 on your fingers.....
Phill.
--
Phill Harvey-Smith, Programmer, Hardware hacker, and general eccentric !
"You can twist perceptions, but reality won't budge" -- Rush.