Body-part counting system
mathematical concept
Some languages of the world have numeral systems that do not make use of an arithmetic base. One such system is the body-part counting system which make use of further body parts to extend the system beyond the ten fingers.
Counting typically begins by touching (and usually bending) the fingers of one hand, moves up the arm to the shoulders and neck, and in some systems, to other parts of the upper body or the head. A central point serves as the half-way point. Once this is reached, the counter continues, touching and bending the corresponding points on the other side until the fingers are reached.
Use
The body-part counting system is quite typical of a number of languages within the New Guinea Highlands.
Oceania
Foi, an East Kutubuan language, features a body-part numeral system that counts up to 37.
Oksapmin, a Trans–New Guinea language spoken in Sandaun Province, features a body-part counting system that goes up to 27. Geoffrey Saxe, in ethnographic work, has described shifts in form and function of the system in recent history linked to shifts towards a cash economy and the introduction of Western-styled schooling.
Kobon, a Papuan language spoken in the Madang Province, counts up to 23.
“Body-part counting system” enters the record as mathematical concept. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Body-part, counting and system can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Body-part counting system” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Body-part, counting and system provides the most credible route into that argument.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 30, 2023. The linked authority identifier is Q97358877. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Body-part counting system”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Body-part counting system primary sources, Body-part counting system archive and Body-part research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Body-part counting system”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Body-part counting system” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.