Number separators

From: Ayers, Mike (Mike_Ayers@bmc.com)
Date: Mon Oct 30 2000 - 13:37:36 EST


        I discovered this weekend that Chinese, despite grouping large
numbers by ten thousands (I think I'm explaining this poorly - what I mean
is that the chinese language has numbers representing nx10^4, as opposed to
the nx10^3 used in english), write their digits with comma separators every
3 digits, apparently having learned this from the same place they got the
digits themselves.

        I am aware that there are European languages (swiss and italian?)
that group four digits, and am reasonably sure that japanese does.

        Before I go on a wild web search, does anyone know if there already
exists a collection of information on the numbering systems of various
languages, including the natural language ordering of the numbers, the digit
grouping size, and the digit group separator character? Since this is for
informational purposes, I don't need code, just examples.

        TiA,

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