numëron

Numëron is a neologism used in certain discussions of numeracy and linguistics to refer to the mental or functional process of representing and manipulating numerical information.

Etymology: The term is coined from Latin numerus with a diaeresis over the e to mark a syllable break, a convention chosen by proponents to distinguish numëron from ordinary numbers.

Definition: In theoretical accounts, numëron denotes the cognitive operation that translates perceptual or linguistic input into an internal, abstract numerical representation that supports arithmetic reasoning and measurement. It is not a counting method or a numeral system itself, but a cognitive stage between perception and calculation. It is not an established term in mainstream linguistics; it appears primarily in theoretical or speculative discussions and in works of constructed languages or speculative fiction.

Distinctions: It differs from counting aloud or counting in external notation; it emphasizes the private, mental encoding of numerical information.

Uses: In education and cognitive science, numëron is used as a framework for studying how individuals form numbers in the mind and how this internal representation interacts with spoken language and written numerals. It may also be used in speculative fiction or constructed languages to model cultural or ritual practices around numbers.

See also: numeracy; cognition; internal number representation; numeral system; subitizing.