Give explanations for the following primitive number words:
a)For a Papuan tribe in southeast New Guinea, it was found necessary to translate the Bible passage (John 5:5): " And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity 30 and 8 years" into "A man lay ill one man, both hands, 5 and 3 years."
b)In British New Guinea, the number 99 comes out as "four men die, two hands come to an end, one foot ends, and four."
c)The South American Kamayura tribe uses the word peak-finger as their word for 3, and "3 days" comes out as "peak-finger days."
d)The Zulus of South Africa use the following equivalents: 6 - "taking the thumb," 7 - "he pointed"
e)The Malinke of West Sudan use the word dibi for 40. The word literally means "a mattress".
f)The Mandingo tribe of West Africa use the word kononto for 9. The word literally means "to the one in the belly."
2007-02-14
13:02:59
·
2 answers
·
asked by
teenwolf
1