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Inuit numerals

 
Wikipedia: Inuit numerals
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Inuit, like other Eskimo languages (and Celtic and Mayan languages as well), uses a vigesmal counting system. Inuit counting has sub-bases at 5, 10, and 15.

Arabic numerals weren't adequate to represent the base-20 system, so students from Kaktovik, Alaska came up with an Inuit numeral system that has since gained wide use among Alaskan Iñupiaq, and is slowly making ground in other countries where Inuit is also spoken[1]

The numeral system has helped to revive counting in Inuit, which had been falling into disuse among Inuit speakers due to the prevalence of the base-10 system in schools.

The picture below shows the numerals 1–19 and then 0.

InupiaqNumbers.gif

References

  1. ^ http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/SOP/SOPv2i1.html

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