A Comparative Study of the Numerals and Counting System of Urhobo and Igbo

Abstract

The numeral system of a language reflects its culture, history, and cognition. Despite Urhobo and Igbo coexisting as neighbors and utilizing the base-10 numerosity, significant differences exist in the operationalization of these systems, often leading to ambiguity. This research objectifies the elucidation of the similarities and disparities between the two numeral systems employing the descriptive analytical approach. The conceptual framework underlying this research is the numeral segmentation principle, whose core assumption is that numerals deviate from their base form. Data was collected through oral interviews, documention, and online sources. The findings reveal that higher complex numerals are formed through both morphological and arithmetic methods. Morphological methods involve compounding (for cardinal numerals), while arithmetic methods entail addition or multiplication of numerals in both Igbo and Urhobo. In Igbo, multiplication involves juxtaposition of elements in an incremental relationship. For instance, 'eleven,' iri na otu, is '10+1' (addition) in Igbo, while 'forty,' iri an?, (multiplication), involves compounding. Addition of numerals in Igbo is indicated by 'na' (and), while in Urhobo, it's 'gbe' (and). Igbo has four weekdays: Eke, Orie, Afor, Nkwo, while Urhobo also has four weekdays too: Edewo, Ediruo, Eduhre, Edebi. However, only Edewo is considered a major market day in Urhobo, while in Igbo, all weekdays are market days categorized into major and minor or small market days. While Urhobo adaptes names for the Gregorian seven weekdays, Igbo does not. Both languages use 'which' ('n?ke?' in Igbo and 'ore?' in Urhobo) along with numerals to express ordinal numerals. The research further reveals that Urhobo's days of the week differ from its market days, unlike Igbo, where weekdays are the same as market days. conclusively, both Urhobo and Igbo employ the base-10 numeral system intricately, yet distinctly, to cognitively assess and represent both concrete and abstract events.