Number Words

1
Number Words Frequency in Modern Lithuanian

• Adriano Cerri
• University of Pisa, Department of Linguistics
• adriano.cerri_at_for.unipi.it

2
Introduction
Methodology
Data Remarks
Conclusions
Future directions of study
3
History
Etymology
Numerals
Linguistic typology
Anthropology
Quantitative studies
Psychology
4
Numerals in many of the worlds languages (cf.
Stampe 1976, Greenberg 1978)

• they are part of a system
• they play different roles (simple units, main
  bases, secondary bases, upper units, etc.)

?
Number words frequency
5
Basic questions

• Are numerals used with random frequency?
• If a pattern of use emerge, how can this pattern
  be understood within the structure of the system?

6
Introduction
Methodology
Data Remarks
Conclusions
Future directions of study
7
Target language Modern Lithuanian

• Useful tools
• - L. Grumadiene V. Žilinskiene (1997-1998),
  Dažninis dabartines rašomosios lietuviu kalbos
  žodynas Frequency Dictionary of Modern Written
  Lithuanian
• A. Utka (2009), Dažninis rašytines lietuviu
  kalbos žodynas Frequency Dictionary of Written
  Lithuanian
• Dabartines lietuviu kalbos tekstynas Corpus of
  Contemporary Lithuanian Language (CCLL)
  donelaitis.vdu.lt
• Lietuviu mokslo kalbos tekstynas Corpus
  Academicum Lithuanicum (CorALit) coralit.lt

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The Dictionaries Advantages

•   M. F.
• NOM. penki penkios
• GEN. penkiu
• DAT. penkiems penkioms
• ACC. penkis penkias
• INS. penkiais penkiomis
• LOC. penkiuose penkiose

NOM.M penki tot. occ. 187
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The Dictionaries Limits

• Complex numerals (two or more number words, e.g.
  du šimtai septyniasdešimt trys 273) are not
  registered as a single numeral, but their
  components are counted separately (e.g. 2 100
  70 3)

Consequence complex numerals are not
represented, their single components are over
represented
Original database on number words frequency
using the CCLL
10

• Search Simple numerals (e.g. keturi 4)

Number Word Occurr.
NOM.M keturi 6399
NOM.F keturios 2809
GEN.M F keturiu 6421
DAT.M keturiems 596
DAT.F keturioms 283
ACC.M keturis 5982
ACC.M keturias 3145
INS.M keturiais 929
INS.F keturiomis 374
LOC.M keturiuose 312
LOC.F keturiose 480
Total 27.730
11
Search Complex numerals (e.g. dvidešimt penki
25)
12
Search Complex numerals (e.g. dvidešimt penki
25)
s studentu grupe iš visos Europos. Dvidešimt
penki instrumentalistai dirba dra iai daugiau
nei kitam mirtingajam ( dvidešimt penki lavonai
vardan grožio!). Pe d, jo nuomone, Lietuvoje yra
kokie dvidešimt penki verti demesio
skulptoriai i 3, penkiolika futbolininku - po 2,
dvidešimt penki - po 1. Ši savaitgali ir
tau, kad meluoji! Buvo mažiausiai dvidešimt
penki gorciai, tik išmatavome neg dalyvavo
trisdešimt trys teatrai. Dvidešimt penki iš ju
vaidino lietuviu, o a iu tuos tris šimtus metru,
turesiu dvidešimt progu tuo isitikinti penki
jusu s imk savo pelna. O tas pelnas buvo
dvidešimt penki kartai, kuriuos jis visados
iesiausias kelias i Daugpili - vos dvidešimt
penki kilometrai. Taciau ten Riman i tai, kas
priklauso. Priklause dvidešimt penki kirciai,
kuriuos jis labai s kiekvienais metais ne mažiau
kaip dvidešimt penki milijardai doleriu
pervedami i kompaktiniu disku deželes (telpa
dvidešimt penki sargiai). Dar roskildieciai ji
automobilio modeli - "Carisma". Dvidešimt penki
šalies gyventojai, savo lan iaus ir D.Gireno
skrydžiu, kai "... dvidešimt penki tukstanciai
lietuviu nesulau nkauskui. "Senuku" asortimentas
- dvidešimt penki tukstanciai prekiu
vakariet lturos skyriaus ataskaitoje...
Dvidešimt penki žymiausi ivairiu kartu Balta jo
pulko karininku buvo areštuoti dvidešimt
septyni, taip pat penki puskarinin
13
Search Complex numerals (e.g. dvidešimt penki
25)
First word Contextual word
dvidešimt penki
dvidešimt penkios
dvidešimt penkiu
dvidešimt penkiems
dvidešimt penkioms
dvidešimt penkis
dvidešimt penkias
dvidešimt penkiais
dvidešimt penkiomis
dvidešimt penkiuose
dvidešimt penkiose
14
Introduction
Methodology
Data Remarks
Conclusions
Future directions of study
15
Table 1. Counting of number words occurrences in
the Corpus of Contemporary Lithuanian Language
(CCLL)
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Chart 1. Number words occurrences in the Corpus
of Contemporary Lithuanian Language (CCLL)
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Chart 2. Numerals 1-9
Trend Frequency lowers as numerical value
increases
(Cf. Hurford (1987 91) for Modern English)
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Chart 3. The tens
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Chart 4. The series of round numerals
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Chart 5. Numerals 11-19
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Chart 6. Numerals 21-29
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Chart 7. The peaks of frequency
Correspondence between the structural role of a
numeral, its cognitive salience and its frequency
of use
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The base (10) of the system is a upper-level unit
Charts 2 and 3.
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Introduction
Methodology
Data Remarks
Conclusions
Future directions of study
25
Main results

• Lithuanian number words are not used with random
  frequency
• Trend within each cycle, the lower the numeral
  is, the higher its frequency
• Frequency can be subject to comparative
  predictions (e.g. frequency 4 gt 9)
• The cycle 1-9 serves as a basic model ruled by
  the above-mentioned trend
• The whole system proceeds by reproducing the
  basic model

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Main results

• Vienas 1 is the most frequently used numeral
• It serves as a model for those numerals sharing
  the semantic trait of unity (10, 100, 1000
  etc.)
• A correspondence is shown between the structural
  role of a numeral, its cognitive salience and its
  frequency of use
• Round numerals attract a higher number of
  occurrences

27
Round numerals

• fulfil the universal need of milestones along
  the endless path of numbers

• more salient
• more frequent
• more suitable for approximate uses (to round
  off a quantity)

28
Introduction
Methodology
Data Remarks
Conclusions
Future directions of study
29

• Other languages, especially non-decimal ones

Cross-linguistic perspective a frequency
typology of numerals?
What is culturally determined? What is universal?
30
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References

• Bybee Hopper (eds., 2001) Frequency and
  Emergence of Linguistic Structure. Amsterdam
  John Benjamins.
• Bybee (2007) Frequency of Use and the
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• CCLL Corpus of Contemporary Lithuanian Language
  / Dabartines lietuviu kalbos tekstynas,
  http//donelaitis.vdu.lt.
• CorALit Corpus Academicum Lithuanicum /
  Lietuviu mokslo kalbos tekstynas,
  http//coralit.lt.
• Greenberg (1978) Generalizations about numeral
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  (abeceles tvarka). Vilnius Lietuviu kalbos
  institutas, Matematikos ir informatikos
  institutas.
• Hurford (1987) Language and Number The
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• Thorndike Lorge (1944) The Teachers Word
  Book of 30.000 Words. New York Columbia
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• Trick Pylyshyn (1994) Why are small and large
  numbers enumerated differently? A
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