A not so interesting article on an extremely interesting topic: Are numbers necessary to language? Apparently not, as evidenced by a hunter-gatherer tribe in the rain forest of Brazil.
They have a word for quantities of one to four and another word for anything above five. They have no words for specific numbers, though. Also interesting is the fact that they haven't developed the ability to draw, especially not in straight lines. Why? Are they just underdeveloped, stupid savages? I think not. I think that in their culture, they just didn't need them, so they never developed them. Seems simple enough, right?
Posted by Shenlon at July 17, 2008 08:59 PM