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From: iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Ivan A Derzhanski)
Subject: Re: Danish Numbers (was: Linguistics for Kids)
Message-ID: <D6AsC6.3AF@cogsci.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: Centre for Cognitive Science, Edinburgh, UK
References: <241561598.33328314@inform-bbs.dk> <D5ItLv.Gu@midway.uchicago.edu> <1995Mar22.031215.29515@Princeton.EDU>
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 1995 09:14:28 GMT
Lines: 16

In article <1995Mar22.031215.29515@Princeton.EDU> mikulska@astro.princeton.edu (Margaret Mikulska) writes:
>This "half-third", as you translate it, can be probably interpreted as 
>"a half is missing (from) three; half taken off three", and that's 2.5. 
>(German still uses "halb" in a similar way for time, as in "halb fuenf" 
>= 4:30.)

N-no-o.  _Halb fuenf_ is not `5 - 1/2', it is `1/2 + (5 - 1)', as
shown by the parallel _viertel fuenf_ `4 1/4 = 1/4 + (5 - 1)', not
`5 - 1/4 = 4 3/4', and _dreiviertel fuenf_ `4 3/4 = 3/4 + (5 - 1)',
not `5 - 3/4 = 4 1/4'.

-- 
`"Na, na ... ah mean, *no wey*, wi aw due respect, ma lady," stammers Joe.'
Ivan A Derzhanski (iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk)    (J Stuart, _Auld Testament Tales_)
* Centre for Cognitive Science,  2 Buccleuch Place,   Edinburgh EH8 9LW,  UK
* Cowan House E113, Pollock Halls, 18 Holyrood Pk Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5BD, UK
