Dal'qörian numbers

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Dalcurian has 2 numerical systems: a modern decimal system and the old vigesimal system.The decimal system is that which is now used in mainstream life, and the first system that is taught in schools, however, the old system is still used in many rural and valley towns and villages across the islands.

Dalcurian numbers are rarely written in full. Numbers after 1000 can become quite complex. You will see in the examples below, that each denomination is separated with an apostrophe; this is not normally used save here for ease of learning.

Decimal System

Cardinal numbers

0 döqu

1 on

2 dion

3 tre

4 tera

5 pen

6 hec

7 senal

8 aÞ

9 nina

10 senta

11 onsenta

12 dionsenta

13 tresenta

14 terasenta

15 pensenta

16 hecsenta

17 senalsenta

18 aÞsenta

19 ninasenta

20 dionta

21 onö'dionta

22 dionö'dionta

23 treö'dionta

24 terö'dionta

25 penö'dionta

26 hecö'dionta

27 senalö'dionta

28 aÞö'dionta

29 ninö'dionta

30 träonta

40 teronta

50 penonta

60 solonta

70 senalonta

80 aÞonta

90 ninonta

31, 45, 57, 83 etc follow the same pattern as those in the 20's denomination.

100 qenta

It should be noted here that in the 100s denomination, the smaller units of 10 always go first.

For numbers above 100, an additional ö is suffixed to the 10's denomination. Where the numeral ends in a vowel, this is removed:

101 onö'qenta

110 sentö'qenta Lit: ten and one hundred

125 penö'dionta'qenta

200 dionö'qenta

300 trö'qenta

400 terö'qenta

500 penö'qenta

600 solö'qenta

700 senalö'qenta

800 aÞö'qenta

900 ninö'qenta

In the thousands denomination, up to the 100, the sequence of numerals goes from smallest to largest.

1000 secenta

1001 onö'secenta Lit: one and one thousand

1010 sentö'secenta Lit: ten and one thousand

1056 solö'penontö'secenta Lit: fifty six and one thousand-note also that 56, solö'penonta also inflects with ö for the addition of secenta

Numerals in 1000s + 100s can be a little complex. The 1000s denomination always comes first, followed by the 100s. If the 100s denomination includes 10s, eg: 156, then 156 will be spoken as it normally would:

1100 sencentö'qenta Lit: one thousand and one hundred

2000 dionsecenta

2100 dionsecentö'qenta

2156 dionsecentö-solö'penontö'qenta Lit: two thousand + fifty six and one hundred

3000 tresecenta

4000 teresecenta

5000 pensecenta

6000 solsecenta

7000 senalsecenta

8000 aÞsecenta

9000 ninasecenta

To form numerals from 10,000 to 99,000, we use contracted forms of 11 to 99 + secenta. The contraction sees the removal of ta from senta, eg:

10,000 sen[ta]secenta becomes sensecenta

11,000 onsen[ta]secenta becomes onsensecenta

100,000 qenta'secenta

200,000 dionö'qenta'secenta

million miläon

billion biläon

Ordinal Numbers

All Dalcurian ordinal numbers are formed by adding dimä to the cardinal:

1st ondimä

2nd diondimä

3rd tredimä

10th sentadimä

32nd dionö'träontadimä

Plurals

Numbers can take the plural suffix el:

Andri peförädn, danöÞ gä'Þalár secentel nörasábel. There were thousands of people at the show.

Fractions

Most Dalcurian fractions, except half are formed by adding iÞ to the ordinal:

a third ni tredimäiÞ

a quarter ni teradimäiÞ

a tenth ni sentadimäiÞ

IádaninÞi, siÞ di tredimäiÞ raförämös,, taÞ sia gä'ábramaqur. This is the third time she has rang tonight.

Half can either a noun or an adjective, in which case it takes the appropriate ending:

Binä iqurquas ni onsarämös. I'll have a half (of beer).

Binä gä'quádr onsarädn di lalégraj. I only read half the book.

Old System

The old (partially) vigesimal system was in mainstream use right up to the mid 19th century. It is very similar to French in that numbers from 30 to 39 are made up of 20 + 11, 12, 13 etc. Forty is literally two twenties (twenty takes a plural ending), 41 is two twenties and one, 50 is two twenties and ten, 55 is two twenties and fifteen, etc. 60 is three twenties, 80 is four twenties until 100, which has its own name of qenta. However, unlike French and similar to German, the smaller digit goes first up to 100.

Cardinal numbers

0 döqu

1 on

2 dion

3 tre

4 tera

5 pen

6 hec

7 senal

8 aÞ

9 nina

10 senta

11 onsenta

12 dionsenta

13 tresenta

14 terasenta

15 pensenta

16 hecsenta

17 senalsenta

18 aÞsenta

19 ninasenta

20 dionta

21 onö'dionta

22 dionö'dionta

23 treö'dionta

24 terö'dionta

25 penö'dionta

26 hecö'dionta

27 senalö'dionta

28 aÞö'dionta

29 ninö'dionta

30 sentö'dionta Lit: ten & twenty

31 onsentö'dionta

32 dionsentö'dionta

33 tresentö'dionta

34 terasentö'dionta

35 pensentö'dionta

36 hecsentö'dionta

37 senalsentö'dionta

38 aÞsentö'dionta

39 ninasentö'dionta

40 dion'diontel Lit: two twenties-note the plural ending

41 dion'diontelö'on: Lit: two twenties and one

50 dion'diontelö'senta

60 tre'diontel Lit: three twenties

70 sentö'tre'diontel

80 tera'diontel Lit: four twenties

90 sentö'tera'diontel

100 qenta

For numbers after 100, all numerals under 100 go AFTER qenta. qenta also looses it's a and adds ö:

101 qentö'on

105 qentö'pen

116 qentö'hecsenta

If writing numerals, then qenta and subsequent denominations in the hundreds (200, 300 400 etc) are separated by a dash after 20:

125 qentö-penö'dionta Lit: one hundred and five and twenty

130 qentö-sentö'dionta Lit: one hundred and ten and twenty

137 qentö-senalsentö'dionta Lit: one hundred and seventeen and twenty

140 qentö-dion'diontel Lit: one hundred and two twenties

141 qentö-dion'diontelö'on Lit: one hundred and two twenties and one

You can easily deduce the pattern up to 199. Numerals 200, 300, 400 up to 900 take a plural ending:

200 dionqentel Lit: two (of) one hundreds

300 treqentel

400 teraqentel (be careful when using 300 and 400 as they sound very similar; Dalcurians often stress the 1st syllable in terenta to make a clear distinction from trenta).

500 penqentel

600 solqentel

700 senalqentel

800 aÞqentel

900 ninaqentel

1000 sencentel Lit: ten (of) one hundreds

1001 sencentelö'on

1019 sencentelö'ninasenta

1035 sencentelö-pensentö'dionta Lit: one thousand and fifteen and twenty

1060 sencentelö-tre'diontel Lit: one thousand and three twenties

1100 onsencentel

1200 dionsencentel