On a Quinary Notations Among the Ilongots of Northern Luzon
Otto Scheerer
Within the area of Austonesian languages there are represented, in a pure or in a modified form, all those systems of numeration which are designated as quinary, decimal, or vigesimal notations, according as they are based upon the counting of the digits of only one hand, of both hands, or of both hands and feet.
From the Philippines in particular none but decimal systems have hitherto been recorded, not excepting such tribes as the Negritos, Tagbanwas and similar people of low culture.
In view of this general use of decimal series of numerals in the Philippines it will be of interest here to make known a case of quinary notation in northern Luzonas found by me some time ago in an old Egongot (i.e. Ilongot) catechism dating from 1792, and declared by its authors, three Spanish missionaries, to be a revision of a still older text.
As is to bo supposed, the catechism does not give the Egongot numerals by way of demonstration. They occur in the text mostly in the form of ordinals in such places as "The ten commandments," The articles of faith," and the like. Collecting these ordinals I obtain the follwing list: . . . . read more
