rekentaal

Rekentaal is a term used in Dutch-language discussions of linguistics and education to denote the language used to express numbers and perform arithmetic within a given language. It encompasses the numeral lexicon (the words for numbers, including higher numerals and ordinals), the morphological and syntactic rules for forming larger numbers, and the verbal expressions for arithmetic operations and relations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, equality).

The concept serves as a lens for analyzing how languages encode numerical concepts, how counting words are structured, and how this structure can affect learning and cognitive processing. Rekentaal varies across languages: some rely on decimal-based numeral systems with regular patterns, others use vigesimal or mixed systems, and there are differences in how numbers above ten are formed and pronounced (for example, the order of units and tens can differ).

In education, rekentaal is used to discuss teaching methods and curriculum design, particularly how instructional approaches align with a language’s numerical grammar and numeral expressions. In linguistics, it provides a framework for comparing cross-linguistic differences in number naming, numeral morphology, and the phrasing of arithmetical concepts.

Because rekentaal is primarily a descriptive term found in Dutch-speaking contexts, there is no single universal theory or definition. It is generally treated as a broad umbrella for numeral words, numeral syntax, and arithmetical expressions rather than a fixed formal framework.