What is the status of non-verbal numerals like ‘5’ or ‘V’? Obviously they are not linked to a particular language, but used cross-linguistically; for instance, both ‘5’ and ‘V’ are used in English as well as in French contexts (although they are not used universally). And they are also not part of a particular alphabet: roman numerals are not restricted to contexts where we use, say, the Latin alphabet, but can be used together with the Cyrillic alphabet as well as with Chinese script, and the same is true for arabic or Chinese numerals. Which numeral system is used in the context of a particular script is a cultural phenomenon. The usage is not based on an inherent link between numeral systems and particular alphabets, but rather is due to historical coincidences or to the relative advantages of different numeral systems. And as the case of arabic and roman numerals illustrates, it is also quite common that two (or more) numeral systems are used within the same culture and together with the same script.

The independence of non-verbal numerals from script is particular obvious in Arabic. In contexts where Arabic script is used, one normally finds the East-Arabic numerals, which, like the West-Arabic ones that are used in Europe, originated in the Indian Brahmi-script. This script goes from left to right (hence like Latin, but unlike Arabic script).