Béu : Chapter 2: Difference between revisions

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== ..... Pronouns ==
{{Deletion|Staigard|Well I have moved all the data somewhere else}}


In this section we discuss pronouns and also introduce the S, A and O arguments.


'''béu''' is what is called an ergative language. About a quarter of the world languages are ergative or partly ergative. So let us explain what ergative means. Well in English we have 2 forms of the first person singular pronoun ... namely "I" and "me". Also we have 2 forms of the third person singular male pronoun ... namely "he" and "him". These two forms help determine who does what to whom. For example "I hit him" and "He hit me" have obviously different meanings (in English there is a fixed word order, which also helps. In '''béu''' the word order is free).
db-g7
 
'''timpa''' = to hit  ... '''timpa''' is a verb that takes two nouns (LINGUISTIC JARGON ... a transitive verb).
 
'''pás ò timpari''' = I hit him
'''pà ós timpori''' = He hit me  ... OK in this case the protagonist marking in the verb also helps to make things disambiguous. But this will not always help, for example when both protagonists are third person and of the same number.
 
So far so good. And we see that English and '''béu''' behave in the same way so far. But what happens when we take a verb that takes only one noun (LINGUISTIC JARGON ... a transitive verb). For example '''doika''' = "to walk". In English we have "he walked". However in '''béu''' we don't have '''*ós doikori''' but '''ò doikori''' (equivalent to saying "*him walked" in English). So this in a nutshell is what an ergative language is.
 
It is the convention to call the doer in a intransitive clause the S argument. For example '''ò<sub>S</sub> fomporta''' = She has tripped
 
It is the convention to call the "doer" in a transitive clause the A argument and the "done to" the O argument For example '''ós<sub>A</sub> timpori jene<sub>O</sub>''' = He hit Jane
 
The S was historically from the word "Subject" and the O historically from the word "Object", but it is best just to forget about that. In fact when I use the word "subject" I am talking about either the S argument or the A argument.
 
If you like you can say ;-
 
In English "him" is the "done to"(O argument) : "he" is the "doer"(S argument)  and the "doer to"(A argument).
 
In '''béu''' '''ò''' is the "done to"(O argument) and the "doer"(S argument) : '''ós''' is the "doer to"(A argument).
 
Below the form of the '''béu''' pronouns is the given for when the pronoun is the A argument.
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| I
  |align=center| '''pás'''
  |align=center| we  (includes "you")
  |align=center| '''yúas'''
  |-
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| we (doesn't include "you")
  |align=center| '''wías'''
  |-
  |align=center| you
  |align=center| '''gís'''
  |align=center| you (plural)
  |align=center| '''jés'''
  |-
  |align=center| he, she
  |align=center| '''ós'''
  |align=center| they
  |align=center| '''ús'''
  |-
  |align=center| it
  |align=center| '''ʃís'''
  |align=center| they
  |align=center| '''ʃís'''
    |}
 
 
[[Image:TW_68.png]]
 
In fact these pronouns are usually dropped when possible, so it might be better to translate the above as "I myself", "you yourself" etc. etc.
 
Below the form of the '''béu''' pronouns is the given for when the pronoun is the S or O argument. When they are used as S arguments it might be better to translate these pronouns  as "I myself", "you yourself" etc. etc.
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| me
  |align=center| '''pà'''
  |align=center| us
  |align=center| '''yùa'''
  |-
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| us
  |align=center| '''wìa'''
  |-
  |align=center| you
  |align=center| '''gì'''
  |align=center| you (plural)
  |align=center| '''jè'''
  |-
  |align=center| him, her
  |align=center| '''ò'''
  |align=center| them
  |align=center| '''ù'''
  |-
  |align=center| it
  |align=center| '''ʃì'''
  |align=center| them
  |align=center| '''ʃì'''
    |}
 
The above table is for S and O arguments, it fact we have another pronoun but this one only occurs as an O argument. When a action is performed by somebody on themselves we use '''tí''' to represent the O argument.
 
Just as in English, we do not say "*I hit me", but "I hit myself" ... in '''béu''' we do not say '''*pás pà timpari''', but '''pás tí timpari'''.
 
'''tí''' does not have to immediately<sup>*</sup> follow the ergative pronoun but it usually does.
 
LINGUISTIC JARGON ... "myself" is what is called a "reflexive pronoun". In English there are many reflexive pronouns (i.e. "myself", "yourself", "herself", etc. etc.) : in '''béu''' only one.
 
Pronouns can just be set down beside each other if they both make up the same argument in a clause. Unlike normal nouns which must have '''é''' ( "and" ) between them and any other component.
 
<sup>*</sup>It is a rule that '''tí''' must follow the A argument.
 
The possessive form of these pronouns
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| my
  |align=center| '''pàn'''
  |align=center| our
  |align=center| '''yùan'''
  |-
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| our
  |align=center| '''wìan'''
  |-
  |align=center| your
  |align=center| '''gìn'''
  |align=center| your (plural)
  |align=center| '''jèn'''
  |-
  |align=center| his, her
  |align=center| '''òn'''
  |align=center| their
  |align=center| '''ùn'''
  |-
  |align=center| its
  |align=center| '''ʃìn'''
  |align=center| their
  |align=center| '''ʃìn'''
    |}
 
And we also have '''tín''' which is used if the possessor is the same as the subject of the clause.
 
== ..... Building up a noun phrase (NP)==
 
Now we talk about the '''béu''' noun phrase (called a '''cwidauza''' in '''béu'''). This can be described as ;-
 
Quantifier<sub>1</sub> Head<sub>2</sub> (Adjective<sub>3</sub> x n) Genitive<sub>4</sub> Determiner<sub>5</sub> Relative-clause<sub>6</sub>
 
1) The Quantifier/Specifier is either a number or a word such as "all", "many", "a few" etc.
 
2) The head is usually a noun but can also be an adjective. When you come across an adjective as head of a noun phrase, its meaning is "the person/thing that is "adjective" ".
 
3) An adjective ... not much to say about this one, you can have as many as you like, the same as English.
 
4) A noun or pronoun that qualifies another noun (commonly called the Genitive in the Western linguistic tradition). Formed by suffixing '''-n''' to a normal noun makes it into a genitive.
 
5) Either '''dí''' "this", or '''dè''' "that".
 
6) This is a clause, beginning with '''ʔà''' that qualifies the head of the noun phrase.  '''ʔà''' can be considered as a nominalizer, that is it is a particle that changes the following clause into a noun.
     
----------------
 
An interesting point is that in the absence of a "head", any of the other elements can act as the head.
 
== ..... The case system==
 
These are what in LINGUISTIC JARGON are called "cases". The classical languages, Greek and Latin had 5 or 6 of these. Modern-day Finnish has about 15 (it depends on how you count them, 1 or 2 are slowly fading away). Present day English still has a relic of a once more extensive case system : most pronouns have two forms. For example ;- the third-person:singular:male pronoun is "he" if it represents "the doer", but "him" if it represents "the done to".
 
The 12 '''béu''' case markers are called '''pilana'''
 
The word '''pilana''' is built up from ;-
 
'''pila''' = to place, to position
 
'''pilana''' <= ('''pil<del>a</del>''' + '''ana'''), in LINGUISTIC JARGON it is called a "present participle".  It is an adjective which means "putting (something) in position".
 
As '''béu''' adjectives freely convert to nouns<sup>*</sup>, it also means "that which puts (something) in position" or "the positioner".
 
Actually only a few of them live up to this name ... nevertheless the whole set of 12 are called '''pilana''' in the '''béu''' linguistic tradition.
 
..
 
[[Image:TW_173.png]]
 
[[Image:TW_174.png]]
 
The '''pilana''' are suffixed to nouns and specify the roll these nouns play within a clause or within a NP.
 
The '''pilana''' are abbreviated to a single consonant in the '''béu''' writing system. That is, in the '''béu''' writing system, the final vowel of all '''pilana'''.
 
The '''pilana''' are partly an aid to quicker writing. However they also demarcate a set of 12 affixes and make quite a neat system. 
 
You could call these 12 plus the unmarked noun a case system of 13 cases. Well you could if you wanted to (up to you).
 
Note that '''-lya''' and '''-lfe''' are represented by a special amalgamated symbols which do not occur elsewhere.
 
Notice that by a addition of '''pilana''', you might expect to get the forms '''alye''' and '''alfi'''. As you can see this is not the case. Perhaps the amalgamated form has the final vowel changed under the pull of the initial vowel, '''a'''.
 
<sup>*</sup> You can tell if '''pilana''' is being an adjective or a noun by the environment that you find it in.
 
 
-----
 
Now one quirk of '''béu''' (something that I haven't heard of happening in any natural language), is that the '''pilana''' is sometimes realised as an affix to the head of the NP, but sometimes as a preposition in front of the entire NP. This behaviour can be accounted for with  thing with two rules.
 
1) The '''pilana''' attaches to the head and only to the head of the NP.
 
2) The NP is not allowed to be broken up by a '''pilana'''. The whole thing must be contiguous. So if a NP has elements after the head the case must be realised as a preposition and be placed in front of the entire noun phrase.
 
So if we have a NP with elements to the right of the head, then the '''pilana''' must become a preposition. The prepositional forms of the '''pilana''' are given on the above chart to the right. These free-standing particles are also written just using the symbols given on the above chart to the left. That is in writing they are shorn of their vowels as their affixed counter-parts are.
 
The letters m, b, k, g and d are free to be used as abbreviations. Perhaps m <= '''mò''', two particles for joining clauses etc. etc.
 
<sup>*</sup>Another case when the '''pilana''' must be expressed as a prepositions is when the noun ends in a constant. This happens very, very rarely but it is possible. For example '''toilwan''' is an adjective meaning "bookish". And in '''béu''' as adjectives can also act as nouns in certain positions, '''toilwan''' would also be a noun meaning "the bookworm". Another example is '''ʔokos''' which means "vowel".
 
==='''-pi''' or '''pì'''===
 
'''meu (rà)''' "basket"'''pi'''
 
While the original meaning was about space, this '''pilana''' is very often found referring to time.
 
I read the book hour'''pi''' => I read the book in an hour
 
I gets dark '''pi''' ten minutes => It get dark in ten minutes
 
She qualified as a doctor '''pi''' five years
 
One can get from Glasgow to London day'''pi'''
 
I'm coming to Sweden '''pi''' next month
 
-------------------
 
'''meu (rà)''' top'''la''' basket'''n''' = The cat is on top of the house
 
'''meu (rà)''' interior basket'''n''' = the cat is in the basket
 
----------------------------
 
==='''-la''' or '''lá'''===
 
mat (rà) floor'''la''' => the mat is on the floor ... notice "the mat"
 
'''twor''' mat floor'''la''' => there is a mat on the floor ... notice "a mat". Also the verb '''two''' is usually sentence initial, at least when introducing something new.
 
'''meu''' (rà) top'''la  nambon''' => The cat is on top of the house
 
Notice that "top'''la nambon'''" is allowed, I should mention this somewhere.
 
 
'''twor ble pàn''' = I have (some) money
 
'''ble twor pàn''' = I have the money
 
'''tworka ble pàn'''  =  I don't have any money .... Note that it is also possible to say '''twor yà ble pàn''', but the first method is definitely preferred.
 
'''ble tworka pàn'''  =  I don't have the money
 
---------------
 
bird '''(rà)''' top '''nambon''' = The bird is above the house
 
Notice that in the above example "top" is considered a specifier ... "top '''nambo'''" forms a tight compound.
 
The eight specifiers of location are above, below, right, left, this side (with respect to the speaker, of course), the far side
 
==='''-ye''' or '''yè'''===
 
'''kyis toili oye''' = give the book to her
 
This is the '''pilana''' used for marking the receiver of a gift, or the receiver of some knowledge.
 
However the basic usage of the word is directional.
 
'''*namboye''' => '''nambye''' = "to the house"
 
distance'''ye nambon''' = "as far as the house"
 
"limit"'''ye nambon''' = "up to the house" ... this usage is not for approaching humans however ... for that you must use "face".i.e. "face"'''ye báun''' = right up to the man
 
 
-----------------------
 
'''yèu''' = to arrive  ... '''yài''' a SVC meaning "to start" ... '''fái''' a SVC meaning "to stop" ???
 
-----------------
 
==='''-fi''' or '''fí'''===
 
'''nambofi''' = "from the house"
 
'''fí "direction" nà nambo''' = "away from the house" i.e.you don't know if this is his origin but he is coming from the direction that the house is in.
 
'''fí "limit/border" nà nambo''' = all the way from the house
 
'''fí "top" nà nambo''' = from the top of the house ... and so on for "bottom", "front", etc. etc.
 
he changed frog.'''fi'''  '''ye''' prince handsome = he changed from a frog to a handsome prince
 
-----------------------
'''fía''' = to leave, to depart ... '''fái''' a SVC meaning "to finish"  .... then '''bai''' cound mean continue and '''-ana''' would be the present tense ???
 
-----------------
 
==='''-lya''' or '''alya'''===
 
Sometimes called the "Allative case" but we don't have to worry about that rubbish here. Can be said to translate to English as "onto".
 
'''xxx yyy zzz''' = put the cushions on the sofa
 
-----------------------
 
==='''-lfe''' or '''alfe'''===
 
The ablative
 
==='''-s''' or '''sá'''===
 
that Stefen turned up drunk at the interview sank his chance of getting that job
 
'''sá tá ........ '''
 
==='''-ge''' or '''gé'''===
 
The instrumental is used for nouns that represent the instrument ("with"), the means ("by") or the agent ("by").
 
John writes with a pen
 
banu = to learn
 
banuge = by learning
 
 
 
book was written '''page''' = The book was written by me
 
'''andage''' = manually
 
I work as a translator ??? ... I work '''sàu''' translator ??
 
'''gé ta ... '''
 
==='''-ho''' or '''hò''' ===
 
The commitive
 
"in the company of", often used with the personal pronouns ;-
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| with me
  |align=center| '''paho'''
  |align=center| with us
  |align=center| '''yuaho'''
  |-
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| with us
  |align=center| '''wiaho'''
  |-
  |align=center| with you
  |align=center| '''giho'''
  |align=center| with you (plural)
  |align=center| '''jeho'''
  |-
  |align=center| with him, with her
  |align=center| '''oho'''
  |align=center| with them
  |align=center| '''uho'''
  |-
  |align=center| with it
  |align=center| '''ʃiho'''
  |align=center| with them
  |align=center| '''ʃiho'''
    |}
 
-----------------------
'''tùa''' = to use, to wear ... '''tàu''' a SVC meaning ??
 
==='''-ji''' or '''jí'''===
 
The benefactive. Sometimes used with '''gomia'''
 
banu = to learn, banuji = in order to learn
 
==='''-wo''' or '''wó'''===
 
Not used for the locative sense of about, it has the sense "with respect to" more. Used for example when have the word '''halfa''' = to laugh.
 
1) '''pà halfari''' = I laught
 
2)  '''pà halfari jonowo''' = I laught at John
 
Is 2) a transitive verb ? Semantically transitive maybe ... but (in English and in '''béu'''), John is introduced by a preposition ... so I guess 2) is not transitive ???
 
2)  '''pà halfari jonoye''' = I taunted John
 
Used for marking the "theme" as in such sentences as the one below.
 
'''gala caturi jonowo''' => The women were talking about John
 
'''jonowo''' ... = as for John ....
 
==='''-n''' or '''nà'''===
 
The locative or the possessive. Basically if the noun is human, it is the possessive : if the noun is non-human, it is locative.
 
'''nambo jonon (rà) hauʔe''' = John's house is beautiful
 
'''jono (rà) nambon''' = John is at home
 
Some example;-
 
'''fanfa''' = horse
 
'''sonda''' = son
 
'''blico''' = king
 
'''fanfa sondan''' = the horse of the son
 
'''sonda blicon''' = the son of the king
 
However the suffixed form can only be used if the genitive is a single word. Otherwise the particle '''na''' must be placed in front of the words that qualify. For example ;-
 
We can't say '''*fanfa sondan blicon''' however. The '''-n''' on '''sonda''' is splitting the NP '''sonda blico'''.
 
So we must say '''fanfa nà sonda blicon'''
 
Some more examples ...
 
'''fanfa nà sonda jini blicon''' = "the horse of the king's clever son'''
 
'''fanfa nà sonda nà blico somua''' = "the horse of the fat king's son"
 
== ..... Building up another type of NP==
 
Near the start of this chapter we saw how '''béu''' builds up a NP (noun phrase). Now '''gomia''' is a noun so '''gomia''' can be the head of the structure given above.
 
If a '''gomia''' is put in the structure above then the word put in the "genitive"<sup>*</sup> slot corresponds to the O argument if the action was described using an active verb.
 
It must be restated that ONLY the O argument can go in the "genitive" slot. English is quite permissive when it comes to sticking on arguments to verbal nouns. Witness ...
 
1) Attila's destruction of Rome
 
2) Rome's destruction (by Attila)
 
In '''béu''' if the A argument is to be represented in the '''gomia''' NP, it is introduced by the instrumental.
 
In actual fact '''gomia''' NPs can be quite long with all sorts of place, time and manner arguments tagged on to the end.
 
----------
 
However there is a second way to build up a '''gomia''' NP. This type of NP has "A '''gomia''' O "other peripheral arguments". For example ????
 
There can be no mixing of these 2 types of '''gomia''' NP.
 
<sup>*</sup>And when it comes to word building. The O argument can be subsumed into the verb. .... hunting of ducks => duckhunting
 
And possibly as a back formation from the above, "duck-hunt" can be used as an active verb.
 
==..... 64 Adjectives==
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| good
  |align=center| '''bòi<sup>*</sup>'''
  |align=center| bad
  |align=center| '''kéu'''
  |-
  |align=center| long
  |align=center| '''làu'''
  |align=center| short
  |align=center| '''lái'''
  |-
  |align=center| high, tall
  |align=center| '''hài'''
  |align=center| low, short
  |align=center| '''ʔáu'''
  |-
  |align=center| right, positive
  |align=center| '''lugu'''
  |align=center| left, negative
  |align=center| '''liʒi'''
  |-
  |align=center| white
  |align=center| '''ái'''
  |align=center| black
  |align=center| '''àu'''
  |-
  |align=center| young
  |align=center| '''sài'''
  |align=center| old (of a living thing)
  |align=center|  '''gáu'''
  |-
  |align=center| clever, smart
  |align=center| '''jini'''
  |align=center| stupid, thick
  |align=center| '''tumu'''
  |-
  |align=center| near
  |align=center| '''nìa'''
  |align=center| far
  |align=center| '''múa'''
  |-
  |align=center| new
  |align=center| '''yaipe'''
  |align=center| old, former, previous
  |align=center|  '''waufo'''
  |-
  |align=center| big
  |align=center| '''jutu'''
  |align=center| small
  |align=center| '''tiji'''
  |-
  |align=center| hot
  |align=center| '''fema'''
  |align=center| cold
  |align=center| '''pona'''
  |-
  |align=center| open
  |align=center| '''nava'''
  |align=center| close
  |align=center| '''mapa'''
  |-
  |align=center| simple, easy
  |align=center| '''baga'''
  |align=center| complex, difficult, hard
  |align=center| '''kaza'''
  |-
  |align=center| sharp
  |align=center| '''naike'''
  |align=center| blunt
  |align=center| '''maubo'''
  |-
  |align=center| wet
  |align=center| '''nuco'''
  |align=center| dry
  |align=center| '''mide'''
  |-
  |align=center| empty
  |align=center| '''fene'''
  |align=center| full
  |align=center| '''pomo'''
  |-
  |align=center| fast
  |align=center| '''saco'''
  |align=center| slow
  |align=center| '''gade'''
  |-
  |align=center| strong
  |align=center| '''yubu'''
  |align=center| weak
  |align=center| '''wiki'''
  |-
  |align=center| heavy
  |align=center| '''wobua'''
  |align=center| light
  |align=center| '''yekia'''
  |-
  |align=center| beautiful
  |align=center| '''hauʔe'''
  |align=center| ugly
  |align=center| '''ʔaiho'''
  |-
  |align=center| contiguous, touching
  |align=center| '''yotia'''
  |align=center| apart, separate
  |align=center| '''wejua'''
  |-
  |align=center| fat
  |align=center| '''somua'''
  |align=center| thin, skinny
  |align=center| '''genia'''
  |-
  |align=center| bright
  |align=center| '''selia'''
  |align=center| dull, dim
  |align=center| '''golua'''
  |-
  |align=center| thin
  |align=center| '''pilia'''
  |align=center| thick
  |align=center| '''fulua'''
  |-
  |align=center| east, dawn, sunrise
  |align=center| '''cúa'''
  |align=center| west, dusk, sundown
  |align=center| '''dìa'''
  |-
  |align=center| tight
  |align=center| '''taitu'''
  |align=center| slack, loose
  |align=center|  '''jauji'''
  |-
  |align=center| neat
  |align=center| '''ilia'''
  |align=center| untidy
  |align=center| '''ulua'''
  |-
  |align=center| soft
  |align=center| '''fuje'''
  |align=center| hard
  |align=center| '''pito'''
  |-
  |align=center| wide/broad
  |align=center| '''juga'''
  |align=center| narrow
  |align=center| '''tisa'''
  |-
  |align=center| rough
  |align=center| '''gaʔu'''
  |align=center| smooth
  |align=center| '''sahi'''
  |-
  |align=center| deep
  |align=center| '''gubu'''
  |align=center| shallow
  |align=center| '''siki'''
  |-
  |align=center| right
  |align=center| '''sèu'''
  |align=center| wrong
  |align=center| '''gói'''
  |}
 
In the above list, it can be seen that each pair of adjectives have pretty much the exact opposite meaning. However in '''béu''' there is ALSO a relationship between the sounds that make up these words. 
 
In fact every element of a word is a mirror image (about the L-A axis in the chart below) of the corresponding element in the word with the opposite meaning.
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| '''ʔ''' 
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''m'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''y'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''j'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|  '''au'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''f'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|  '''o'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''b'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|  '''oi'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''g'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|  '''i'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''d'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|  '''ia'''
  |align=center|
  |align=left|  '''high tone'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''l'''
  |align=center| ===========================
  |align=center| '''a'''
  |align=center| ============================
  |align=left|  '''neutral'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''c'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|  '''ua'''
  |align=center|
  |align=left|'''low tone'''
  |-
  |align=center| '''s/ʃ'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''u'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''k'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''eu'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''p'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''e'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''t'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''ai'''
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''w'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''n'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''h'''
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |}
 
<sup>*</sup> Note that the adverb version of this word is slightly irregular. Instead of '''boiwe''' it is '''bowe'''. People often shout this when impressed with some athletic feat or sentiment voiced ... '''bowe bowe''' => well done => bravo bravo
 
Also instead of '''keuwe''' we have '''kewe'''. People often shout '''kewe kewe kewe''' if they are unimpressed with some athletic feat or disagree with a sentiment expressed. Equivalent to "Booo boo".
 
== ..... Simple arithmetic==
 
'''noiga''' = arithmetic
 
[[Image:TW_69.png]]
 
[[Image:TW_70.png]]
 
Above right you can see the numbers 1 -> 11 displayed. Notice that the forms of 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9 have been modified slightly before the "number bar" has been added.
 
In the bottom right you can see 7 interesting symbols. These are used to extend the range of the '''béu''' number system (remember the basic system only covers 1-> 1727). Their meanings are given in the table below.
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| elephant
  |align=center| '''huŋgu'''
  |-
  |align=center| rhino
  |align=center|  '''nàin'''
  |-
  |align=center| water buffalo
  |align=center| '''wúa'''
  |-
  |align=center| circle
  |align=center| '''omba'''
  |-
  |align=center| hare
  |align=center| '''yanfa'''
  |-
  |align=center| beetle
  |align=center| '''mulu'''
  |-
  |align=center| bacterium, bug
  |align=center| '''ʔiwetu'''
  |}
 
To give you an idea of how they are used, I have given you a very big number below.
 
[[Image:TW_77.png]]
 
Which is  => 1,206,8E3,051.58T,630,559,62 ... E represents eleven and T represents ten ... remember the number is in base 12.
 
O.K. this number has a ridiculous dynamic range. But this is for demonstration purposes only: if you can handle this number you can handle any number.
 
This monster would be pronounced '''aja huŋgu ufaila nàin ezaitauba wúa idauja omba idaizaupa yanfa elaibau mulu idaidauka ʔiwetu elaifau dó'''
 
Now the 7 "placeholders" are not really thought of as real numbers, they are markers only. Used in the same way that we would say "point"/"decimal" when reeling off a number.
 
When first introduced to this system, many people think that the '''béu''' culture must be untenable, however strangely enough the '''béu''' culture has lasted many thousands of year, despite the obvious confusion that must arise when they attempt to count elephants.
 
One further point of note ...
 
If you wanted to express a number represented by digits 2->4 from the LHS of the monster, you would say '''aufaidaula nàin''' .... the same way as we have in the Western European tradition.
However if you wanted to express a number represented digits 6 ->8 from the RHS of the monster, you would say '''yanfa elaibau'''  .... not the way we do it.  This is like saying "milli 630" instead of "630 micro".
 
To make a number negative the "number bar" is placed on the left. See below ;-
 
[[Image:TW_71.png]]
 
Also a number can be made imaginary by adding a further stroke that touches the "number bar". See below ;-
 
[[Image:TW_73.png]]
 
As you can see above, there is no special sign for the "addition operation". The numbers are simply written one beneath the other. Similarly with subtraction but one number would be negative this time.
 
There is a special sign to indicate multiplication ('''+'''), and there is an equals sign ('''-''').
 
Division is the same as multiplication except that one of the numbers is in "fractional form".
 
There is an alternative multiplication/division notation : instead of using the '''+''' sign, the two quantities can instead be written side by side (see the example above).
 
-6 is pronounced '''ela liʒi''' ... '''liʒi''' means left or "negative
 
By the way '''lugu''' means right (as in right-hand-side) or positive.
 
4i is pronounced '''uga haspia''' ... and what does '''haspia''' mean, well it is the name of the little squiggle that touches the number bar, for one thing.
 
-4i is pronounced '''uga haspia liʒi'''
 
-1/10 is pronounced '''diapa liʒi'''
 
i/4 is pronounced '''duga haspia'''
 
And so ends chapter 2 ...
 
== ..... Index==
 
{{Béu Index}}

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