Counting in Cuuyamu
▲
0▲ 0 ▼ 0
Cardinal and ordinal numbers
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 12 Feb 2016, 04:14.
[comments] cuynumbers
7. Syntax Samples
?
?
10. The Shàalilu
?
?
?FYI...
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
Cardinal numbers
Cuuyamu has two sets of numbers between 1 and 10. One set is used to count inanimate objects, while the other is used for counting animate beings.
English | Inanimate | Animate |
---|---|---|
1 | zul | yash |
2 | aq | tìi |
3 | iidz | lúú |
4 | çáa | bin |
5 | ji | tsa |
6 | uzul | mayash |
7 | uaq | matii |
8 | uiidz | maluu |
9 | uçaa | mabin |
10 | uji | matsa |
For example:
Zúutsilcipaqi mayash ñàamu dzaal uzul ñitu.
sit-3PThird person plural (person)
neither speaker nor addressee, they/them.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRProper
marks a noun as referring to a unique entity-3PThird person plural (person)
neither speaker nor addressee, they/them.INANInanimate (gender/class)
inanimate, sessile.OBJObject (argument) six.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving cat OBJObject (argument) six.INANInanimate (gender/class)
inanimate, sessile chair
Six cats are sitting on six chairs.
The inanimate numbers 6-10 are constructed using the word u, meaning hand. The derivation of the ma- prefix for animate counting is less clear. It may be an archaic form of hand or foot, or perhaps some other word that was prefixed to parallel the inanimate pattern and has since been reduced to a single syllable.
Above 10, all numbers are based on the inanimate forms.
Ordinal numbers
Ordinal numbers are used to place things in order, such as the third boy, first in line, and my fifth piece of cake. To form ordinal numbers in Cuuyamu, simply add the prefix jil- to a corresponding cardinal number. This applies to both animate and inanimate numbers. There is one exception: the word taasis is always used for first, whether animate or inanimate. There are no forms *jilzul or *jilyash. The first six ordinal numbers are thus:
English | Inanimate | Animate |
---|---|---|
first | taasis | taasis |
second | jilaq | jiltii |
third | jiliidz | jilluu |
fourth | jilçaa | jilbin |
fifth | jilji | jiltsa |
sixth | jiluzul | jilmayash |
The ordinal numbers can be used as verbs (to be first, second, etc.) by adding the suffix -jat.
Ta anlu anaish taasisjatwu.
in this.SUBSubject (argument) queue first-VBZVerbaliser
converts N, ADJ etc into verb-1SFirst person singular (person)
speaker, signer, etc.; I.PRSPresent tense (tense)
I am first in this line.
<still needed: constructions for 11+>
<multipliers: single, double, one-fold, two-fold, singly, doubly, twice, thrice>
<zero, decimals, fractions, negatives, percentages?>
<numbers used grammatically in various ways and examples> ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
Comments