Category:Counting gestures as etymological explanations for Basque number names
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English: Refsː Gorrotxategi (ed.) et al (2018). Euskararen Historia (Eusko Jaurlaritza). ISBN 978-84-457-3433-9 & Joseba Lakarra (2010).
Euskara: Joseba Lakarrak (nagusiki) azaldutako etimologiakː ikus artikulua.
1 to 4
[edit]1 [Bat] not unexplained as a gesture. 2-3-4 [Bi, Hiru, Lau] explained as a gesture where one shows fingers in succession.
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Bi, from *GON-I > GOI > GWI > BI, where *GON-I protobasque for high, as the index finger is the highest finger shown
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Hiru, from *HER-(B)UR > HERUR > HIRUR > HIRU, being HER-(B)UR̟ finger-short in protobasque.
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Lau, from *LA-BUR > LAUR > LAU, ̈constructing *LA-BUR as shortest in protobasque.
5 to 9
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5 (Bost and Bortz, both forms modern and considered both correct and standard), showing a fist; from *BOR (protobasque round, circle) > BORTZ > BOST.
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6 (Sei), showing a single finger next to a fist where that single finger stands for *SENI > SEHI > SEI being ̈*SENI protobasque for 'child'.
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7 (Zazpi), showing two fingers next to a fist, and explained as BORTZAZ-BI ('two besides the five") > [BORT]ZAZPI > ZAZPI.
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8 (Zortzi), two fists showing knuckles forwardly, where the knuckles represent the sharp tops of a mountain range; and therefore *ZORROTZI > ZORTZI where *ZORROTZI is protobasque 'sharp'.
9 (Bederatzi)ː several etymological analysis proposed, but not based in gestures.
Multiples of fiveː 10, 15, 20
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10 (Hamar), two fists united (explained as HAN-BOR > HAMAR where *HAN (protobasque big) + *BOR (protobasque round).
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15 (Hamabost, hamabortz), first you do the 10 sign (both fists united) and then the 5 sign, so *HAN-BOR+ *BOR > HAMA-BORTZ > HAMABOST.
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20 (Hogei), explained as first doing the 10 gesture and then the 5 gesture, but this 5 gesture repited once again, like 10 ̟+ 5 + 5; and therefore the last gesture, the second 5 gesture is understood as *BOR + *GEN-I > BORGENI > HOGEI where *BOR (protobasque round and therefore five) and *GEN-I (protobasque addition)..
Media in category "Counting gestures as etymological explanations for Basque number names"
The following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total.
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Bat-234.jpg 517 × 548; 21 KB
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Bor-bortz-bost-5.jpg 2,469 × 2,080; 3.07 MB
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Borgeni.jpg 569 × 409; 13 KB
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Bortzaz-bi.jpg 4,000 × 3,000; 2.65 MB
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Han-bor-hamar10.jpg 4,000 × 3,000; 2.7 MB
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Hanbor-bor.jpg 642 × 254; 15 KB
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Lau-Laur-Labur.jpg 567 × 681; 26 KB
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Seni-sehi-sei.jpg 4,000 × 3,000; 2.63 MB
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Zorrotzi-zortzi.jpg 854 × 504; 43 KB