I learned music in French (native French) and was at the beginning a little bit confused with 2 4 8 16 etc. because we say white, black, "hooked", double-"hooked", triple-, etc. but after all it is logical with the numbers.
I understood the choice of 2 4 8 16 during an exchange semester in Germany where, as in American, you say half, quarter eighth, sixteenth… I proud being able to understand thanks Lilypond ! :)
Apropos, why isn’t there an American language in Lilypond (do re mi fa sol la ti -e -a) ?