Do numbers in different languages symbols

I will offer some comments on Needham and WangвЂ™s table, starting from the tacit assumption in which I am interested. In other words, just as in the numeration system commonly used today, in which the signs вЂњ1,вЂќ вЂњ2,вЂќ вЂњ3вЂќ in the inscription вЂњ123вЂќ derive their meaning of, respectively, вЂњone hundred,вЂќ вЂњtwenty,вЂќ and вЂњthreeвЂќ from the positions they occupy in the inscription, according to Needham and Wang, in the system attested in China, numbers were written using positions and the digits featured in column H: the вЂњcounting-rod forms.вЂќ Needham and WangвЂ™s main claim was thus that this numeration system originated in China, and not in India, as is still commonly assumed today. Needham and Wang go on to argue that the numerals attested indicate that an evolution took place in China, at the end of which a decimal place-value notation emerged. They begin their account with the earliest forms found, those on вЂњShang oracle-bones (-14th to -11th centuries)вЂќ (column E in the table). The account of numeral notations given by Needham and Wang draws on a table entitled вЂAncient and medieval Chinese numeral signs,'. Mathematics,вЂќ published in Joseph NeedhamвЂ™s (1900-1995) famous encyclopaedic book Science and Civilisation in China, and jointly composed by Needham and Wang Ling (1917-1994). To explain this point, I will focus on how the history of numbers in China was treated in a monograph that served as a basis for GuitelвЂ™s and IfrahвЂ™s chapters on China, namely section вЂњ19. In a way, it seems natural to us that a вЂњHistory of NumbersвЂќ adopts a structure of this kind -that is, to use GuitelвЂ™s words, that it gives pride of place to вЂњpeoplesвЂќ and вЂњcivilizations.вЂќ However, is it so obvious that a structure like this is appropriate? I argue that this feature derives from a tacit assumption that has been widely adopted when it comes to the history of numbers and that needs to be reconsidered. Moreover, horizontal arrows marking the вЂњevolutionвЂќ of numeration systems are added to the tree, and they also connect вЂњEgypt IвЂќ with вЂњEgypt IIвЂќ and вЂњEgypt IIIвЂќ as well as вЂњGreece IIвЂќ and вЂњGreece III,вЂќ etc. The leaves of the tree read: вЂњEgypt I (hieroglyphic),вЂќ вЂњAztecsвЂќ, вЂњGreece I (attic),вЂќ вЂњRomeвЂќ, вЂњSumer,вЂќ вЂњEgypt III (hieratic),вЂќ вЂњChina I (oracle-bones),вЂќ and so on.

Similarly, the structure of GeneviГЁve GuitelвЂ™s Histoire ComparГ©e derives from a classification of the numeration systems she considers. For instance, Georges IfrahвЂ™s monograph is organized as: вЂNumbers of SumerвЂ™, вЂThe Development of Written Numerals in Elam and MesopotamiaвЂ™, вЂMesopotamian Numbering after the Eclipse of SumerвЂ™, вЂThe Numbers of Ancient EgyptвЂ™, вЂGreek and Roman NumeralsвЂ™, вЂThe Numbers of Chinese CivilisationвЂ™, and so on. Beyond the differences between books of this kind, they all share a similar structure. The world history of numeration systems is a subject on which many synthetical books are available today, such as Georges IfrahвЂ™s The Universal History of Numbers and GeneviГЁve GuitelвЂ™s Histoire comparГ©e des numГ©rations Г©crites ( Comparative History of Written Numerations), on which the former draws. A Widespread Assumption in the Histories of Numbers

Do numbers in different languages symbols