THE LANGUAGE USER AS AN ARITHMETICIAN

Citation
T. Pollmann et C. Jansen, THE LANGUAGE USER AS AN ARITHMETICIAN, Cognition, 59(2), 1996, pp. 219-237
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology, Experimental
Journal title
ISSN journal
00100277
Volume
59
Issue
2
Year of publication
1996
Pages
219 - 237
Database
ISI
SICI code
0010-0277(1996)59:2<219:TLUAAA>2.0.ZU;2-6
Abstract
Dutch, like other languages, has approximative expressions with two nu merals, for example: ''twee, drie boeken'' (lit. two, three books; two or three books). This construction is analysed. It turns out that the choice of number words is not arbitrary. Various kinds of factor are involved, as is shown using language materials from large corpora of D utch texts. The interval between the two numbers has to be 1, 2, 2 1/2 or 5, multiplied by 10(n), at least in the decimal number system. It is argued that in daily life this set of so-called ''favourite numbers '' has a special role. Coins and banknotes, prices of special offers, bidding conventions in auctions are based on, or make use of, this set of numbers. An explanation for this favouritism is offered in the fra mework of the triple-code model of human number processing proposed by Dehaene. The explanation substantiates Dehaene's claim of the existen ce of an analogue magnitude code used in estimating and comparing. Hum an cognition seems to be able to perform simple calculations with quan tities (e.g., halving and doubling), independently of any counting or number system.