open access

https://doi.org/10.14943/106660

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/89063

Ainu Numerals in Relazione del Regno di Iezo : Disappearance of Overcounting Numeral System

日本語

アンジェリス

2023-03-20

Japan Association of Northern Language Studies

Northern Language Studies

13

283-296

This paper argues that Ainu variation in Matsumae, which was once spoken in the southern tip of Hokkaido, had undergone a change in the numeral system by the early 17th century. According to Ochiai (2021), the overcounting numeral system and the vigesimal system are reconstructed in Proto-Ainu. There are 19 numerals between the adjacent multiples of 20, and these are divided into the first half (1 to 9) and the second half (10 to 19). The first half follows an undercounting numeral system, while the second half follows an overcounting numeral system. This shift in numeral system is observed in various Ainu dialects recorded in 20th century. However, a few dialects demonstrate a change from an overcounting to undercounting numeral system for the second half of the numerals, especially for those numerals higher than 100 such as 110 and 130. There is an extinct Ainu dialect spoken in Matsumae. Some of the basic vocabularies were recorded in a report, Relazione del Regno di Iezo, by Girolamo de Angelis, supposedly written in 1622. Against expectation, the second half of the numerals such as 30 and 31 follows an undercounting numeral system. It turns out that the change to undercounting seen in other Ainu dialects in the 20th century had already taken place in Matsumae region a number of centuries previously. This may be the result of the geographical and historical uniqueness of Matsumae, which is located directly across the Tsugaru Strait from Honshu and had a long and profound interaction with Japanese, which has an undercounting numeral system. In fact, Suwa Daimyojin Ekotoba, written in the 14th century states that the Watari-to Ainu (which includes Ainu people in Matsumae region) were able to communicate with Japanese people to some extent, while the Ainu dialects in other parts of Hokkaido were unintelligible. This suggests that by the 14th century, Matsumae variety of Ainu had shifted to a modified language, a type of lingua franca, to facilitate communication with Japanese people. Among the modifications was the numeral system, the original overcounting observed for the second half of the numerals being modified to an undercounting numeral system.

紀要論文

Version of Record

2185-7121

AA12516968