numeroiset

Numeroiset is a term used in discussions of numerals and counting systems to designate the set of numeral forms and the rules used to express quantity in a language or a constructed system. In linguistic typology and cognitive linguistics, numeroiset cover both cardinals (one, two, three) and ordinals (first, second, third) and include their morphological realizations and syntactic placement. The term also appears in mathematical discussions of alternative numeral representations and base-n alphabets used for computing or formal systems.

Key aspects include base and structure: numeral systems may be decimal (base-10), vigesimal (base-20), or mixed; numeral formation often combines simple numerals with multiplicative and additive strategies, as in twenty-one or quatre-vingt-dix in French. Cardinal numerals may be inflected for agreement, case, or gender in some languages, and ordinal numerals may be formed from cardinals or exist as a separate set of forms. In some conlangs, numeroiset design specifies the inventory of numbers and the rules by which numbers grow beyond a hundred.

Applications include cross-linguistic comparison of numeral vocabularies, documentation of historical changes in counting systems, and support for natural language processing or education. The term is primarily a descriptive label in linguistics and does not denote a single universal framework.

See also: numeral, numeral system, base-n, vigesimal, cardinal, ordinal.