Resumen de Numerosity Structures the Expression of Quantity in Lexical Numbers and Grammatical Number
Using data from the World Atlas of Language Structures and other sources, this study analyzed 905 languages for the presence of grammatical number (GN) and lexical numbers (LNs) to investigate what the distribution of these linguistic features might suggest about the relationship between language and numerosity, the perceptual system for quantity. Nearly 7% of the sample had LNs but lacked GN, and GN never occurred without LNs, implying that LNs may develop first and that GN is neither necessary nor sufficient for developing LNs, despite its role in helping children acquire number concepts when present as a feature of language. The geographic-temporal distribution of the two linguistic features additionally supported the idea that LNs may emerge prior to GN. Furthermore, the �one-two-three-many� structure of both LNs and GN, along with the failure of historic artificial intelligence modeling to converge on real-world number system solutions, suggested that numerosity may structure the expression of quantity in both linguistic domains. The role of the hand in numbers (the interaction of numerosity with cognitive processes such as finger gnosia, haptic perception, and neural reactions to tools) implies that LNs may originate in tactile engagement with material structures that may subsequently extend to nontactile domains, such as GN.
