Multiplication, addition, and subtraction in numerals: formal variation in Latin’s decads+ from an Indo-European perspective

Brigitte L. M. Bauer

doi:10.1515/joll-2023-2001

Article

Multiplication, addition, and subtraction in numerals: formal variation in Latin’s decads⁺ from an Indo-European perspective

Brigitte L. M. Bauer

Published/Copyright: September 5, 2023

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From the journal Journal of Latin Linguistics Volume 22 Issue 1

Abstract

While formal variation in Latin’s numerals is generally acknowledged, little is known about (relative) incidence, distribution, context, or linguistic productivity. Addressing this lacuna, this article examines “decads⁺” in Latin, which convey the numbers between the full decads: the teens (‘eleven’ through ‘nineteen’) as well as the numerals between the higher decads starting at ‘twenty-one’ through ‘ninety-nine’. Latin’s decads⁺ are compounds and prone to variation. The data, which are drawn from a variety of sources, reveal (a) substantial formal variation in Latin, both internally and typologically; (b) co-existence of several types of formation; (c) productivity of potential borrowings; (d) resilience of early formations; (e) patterns in structure and incidence that anticipate the Romance numerals; and (f) historical trends. From a typological and general linguistic perspective as well, Latin’s decads⁺ are most relevant because their formal variation involves sequence, connector, and arithmetical operations and because their historical depth shows a gradual shift away from widespread formal variation, eventually resulting in the relatively rigid system found in Romance. Moreover, the combined system attested in decads⁺ in Latin – based on a combination of inherited, innovative and borrowed patterns and reflecting different stages of development – presents a number of typological inconsistencies that require further assessment.

Keywords: additives; cardinals; Etruscan; ordinals; subtractives; typology

Corresponding author: Brigitte L. M. Bauer, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; and Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, E-mail: Brigitte.Bauer@mpi.nl

Acknowledgments

I am obliged to the editors of the journal and the anonymous reviewers for their most helpful comments and suggestions.

Appendix A: Abbreviations – glosses

ABL: ablative
ACC: accusative
DIS: distributive
F: feminine
FUT: future
GEN: genitive
IMP: imperfective
M: masculine
MULT: multiplicative
N: neuter
NOM: nominative
ORD: ordinal
PF: perfective
PPF: pluperfect
PL: plural
PFP: perfective participle
SG: singular
SUBJ: subjunctive

Appendix B: Abbreviations – languages

Ba.: Basque
Cat.: Catalan
Etr.: Etruscan
Fr.: French
Go.: Gothic
It.: Italian
Ja.: Japanese
La.: Latin
OE: Old English
ON: Old Norse
OSp.: Old Spanish
PIE: Proto-Indo-European
Po.: Portuguese
Sp.: Spanish
Tu.: Turkish

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Published Online: 2023-09-05

Published in Print: 2023-05-25

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https://doi.org/10.1515/joll-2023-2001

Keywords for this article

additives; cardinals; Etruscan; ordinals; subtractives; typology