@article{jbp:/content/journals/10.1075/pc.21.3.08chr, author = "Chrisomalis, Stephen", title = "Constraint, cognition, and written numeration", journal= "Pragmatics & Cognition", year = "2013", volume = "21", number = "3", pages = "552-572", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1075/pc.21.3.08chr", url = "https://www.jbe-platform.com/content/journals/10.1075/pc.21.3.08chr", publisher = "John Benjamins", issn = "0929-0907", type = "Journal Article", keywords = "constraints", keywords = "number systems", keywords = "writing", keywords = "cognitive anthropology", keywords = "numerals", abstract = "The world’s diverse written numeral systems are affected by human cognition; in turn, written numeral systems affect mathematical cognition in social environments. The present study investigates the constraints on graphic numerical notation, treating it neither as a byproduct of lexical numeration, nor a mere adjunct to writing, but as a specific written modality with its own cognitive properties. Constraints do not refute the notion of infinite cultural variability; rather, they recognize the infinity of variability within defined limits, thus transcending the universalist/particularist dichotomy. In place of strictly innatist perspectives on mathematical cognition, a model is proposed that invokes domain-specific and notationally-specific constraints to explain patterns in numerical notations. The analysis of exceptions to cross-cultural generalizations makes the study of near-universals highly productive theoretically. The cross-cultural study of patterns in written numbers thus provides a rich complement to the cognitive analysis of writing systems.", }