5-Cycle Systems

Abstract

In Chapter 3, (2, 5) and (2, 5, 20) systems and variants were explored, so in this chapter only those systems with a 5-cycle but no 2-cycle are discussed. The cycle approach to analysing systems clarifies what were often incomplete classifications of quinary, vigesimal or quinary-vigesimal systems. Most of these 5-cycle systems are Austronesian (AN) in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Oceania. There are Non-Austronesian (NAN) languages that are near Austronesian languages that may have incorporated numerals for 1 to 4. These 5-cycle systems also occur among Indigenous groups such as in the Americas and Africa. Although Proto Oceanic was thought to have a 10-cycle system as a primary cycle, a careful analysis by Lean has shown that at least half of the AN (all but two are Oceanic) languages have a 5-cycle primary cycle. There are some AN languages with (5) and (5, 20) cycles but more NAN languages with these cycles. The AN languages are more likely to have a numeral for 10 and a 10 cycle, usually as a secondary cycle.