tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Oct 20 07:26:11 1997
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RE: base 3 (was RE: vIghojqa')
DolraH said:
Klingon was supposedly a base 3 number system
Both you and MO mention the numbers 1,2,3
technically that would be a base 4 system
Perhaps Klingon distinguishes between the zero and the 3, as if we, using a
base ten, used two different characters or concepts for zero and ten.
We count using a columnar system. That is, we call it 10 becaise it has 1 in
the tens column and zero in the ones column. 23 would be 2 tens plus 3, or 3
and 20.
Klingon, as I recall from TKD, uses something slightly different. It counts 1,
2, 3, 3+1, 3+2, 3+3, 2x3+1, 2x3+2, etc. In the ancient Klingon, it might go
something like this: wa', cha', wej, wej wa', wej cha', wej wej, cha'wej wa',
cha'wej cha', etc. pagh as zero would not be part of the counting because if
you have zero of something you can't actually count it.
It may be significant that wa' and cha' are the only numbers that end with a
glottal stop. wej would be distinguished in its counting by it's lack of a
glottal stop. When the Klingons developed the base ten, the rest of the numbers
also lacked the glottal stop.
My own speculation is that Klingon always had a base ten and that the base
three was an artifical construct for political/religious reasons. Humans have
base ten likely because they have ten fingers and the counting system developed
from that 'natural' way of counting. There are a few instances of non-base-10
numbering systems (ancient americas Maya? Inca? one of those guys. Didn't they
have a base 12?) But, from what I recall, those numbering systems were used for
official records of the government. The general population might well have used
a base ten, counting on their fingers.
Anyway, that's just my opinion, offended that the klingons would adopt a base
10 just because the rest of the 'civilized' galaxy uses base ten (notice, they
all have ten fingers). It also cuts against my grain to hear on the tape that
the Klingons have adopded a 24 hour day for the same reason. That's human
arogance if ever I heard it.
I'm starting to drift from the topic, so I'll leave it at that.
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Lt.Cmdr. Kordite, Executive Officer
IKV Dark Justice, Klingon Assault Group
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choSuvchugh 'oy'lIj Daghur neH
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[email protected] http://www.fyi.net/~kordite/