asianumero

Asianumero is a hypothetical numeral notation concept proposed to unify representation of numerals across Asian writing systems. It is not an established standard but has appeared in theoretical discussions about multilingual numeracy and computing.

The term is a neologism formed from Asia and numero (Latin for number). Proposals treat Asianumero as a high-level framework rather than a concrete encoding, intended to coexist with existing numeral systems by providing a canonical internal representation and locale-aware display.

In its design, Asianumero would map diverse glyph sets—such as Arabic-Indic and Eastern Arabic-Indic digits, Devanagari, Bengali, Thai, Chinese numerals, and others—into a common internal digit sequence. It would maintain a separate numeric value from glyphs, allow precise formatting rules, and enable lossless round-tripping between scripts.

Implementation considerations center on Unicode compatibility, data interchange, and software localization. The concept relies on a central mapping table and might utilize existing digits 0–9 for computation, with specialized renderers responsible for display in a user’s locale. It has seen little adoption outside speculative or pedagogical literature.

Reception is mixed. Proponents argue that Asianumero could simplify OCR, digitized archives, and cross-border education, while critics note redundancy with current internationalization practices, potential confusion between numeric value and glyph, and the lack of concrete standards or governance.

See also: Unicode, numeral system, East Asian numerals.