User:Bequw/numbers

Policy

Nomenclature

We need a standard way of referring to 3 entities

1. (per language) The written words that refer to numbers (e.g. "five")
2. (per script) The numerical representation of numbers (e.g. "1776")
3. (per script) The distinct glyphs that are composed to form numerical representations (e.g. "0", "1", ..., "9")

There's several ways to call these entities. I will try to refer to them by their case number in order to try to remain unbiased in my language.

• (Linguistically) Number names says that the "symbols '11', 'eleven' and 'XI' are different numerals, all representing the same number". "numerals" then refer to #1-#3 and we would never have any categories referring to "numbers".
• Language specific sets of "Numerals" (eg Arabic numerals and Indian numerals) often refer to #3 though this is ambiguous because w:Roman numerals can just as easily refer to #2 (eg 'VIII') as #3 (eg 'X'). In some sense the context of the phrase matters: "Write it as a Roman numeral" #2 vs. "Write it using Roman numerals" #3.
• Certain phrases are much more common such as "cardinal numbers" compared to "cardinal numeral" (which is not too common) for #1
• "Digits" hopefully unambiguous refers to #3.

Current State of affairs

Based on the cases above

1. We most often break it down by Category:Numerals by language but then into (lang code:)"Cardinal numbers".
2. Category:Numbers is supposed to be for #2, though it includes a mix of all these cases.
3. See Category:Arabic digits, Category:Indian numerals, Category:Thai numbers

Sum of Parts

• Appendices should be made for all scripts that say how to derive meaning from entities such as "1232324" and for all languages that say how to derive meaning from phrases like "two-thousand and five".
• Rules on what SoP are
• Category_talk:Cardinal_numbers

Cleanup

• Lots of entries list "Next:"/"Previous:" on the infl line rather than =see also= or infobox
• Many list script translations on the top rather than in =see also=
• Many are SoP and can be deleted.
• Category:Thai numbers split into Numeral/Digit and Numeral into th:Cardinal numbers.
• Category:Numbers

See also

• Two current ones: WT:RFDO#Category:Arabic_numerals, WT:RFDO#Category:Portuguese_numbers
• Category:Numbers
• w:Hindu-Arabic_numeral_system
• Wiktionary:Beer_parlour_archive/2007/July#Numbers_on_Wiktionary
• SIL on numeral
• w:Numeral_(linguistics)#Numeral_types