Re: Tarnese Numbers

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 18:41:32 -0800, Etak <tarnagona@...> wrote:

[snip]

>-----Tarnese Numbers-----
>
>The Tarnese use an octal number system.  The Tarnese don't
>have calculators.  Instead they calculate on their version
>of an abacus, called a sílemùwd.
Interesting.  If you have a "magical" noun category, I assume you have
magic, so is magic widely available enough for a magical abacus as a
calculator-equivalent?

>Higher numbers are formed by adding a syllable to the lower
>number word.  Numbers are written and said from right to
>left.  A dash separates every two digits.  This indicates a
>slight pause, otherwise the number words become too
>unwieldy.  The suffix is added to the last word in a number
>only.  Numbers have the natural suffix '-azh' but
>mathematical operations have the man-made suffix '-uwd'.
[snip]

>A small math vocabulary
>
>to add - shanílew
>addition - kazhánùwd
>to subtract - longílew
>subtraction - kalóngùwd
>to multiply - pezílew
>multiplication - kabézùwd
>to divide - thidílew
>division - kadhídùwd
>to count - telàmendílew (lit. something like 'to one-two')
is there a difference between _ew_ and -u`wd_?

>I think 'ka-' is the equivalent of '-ion' in English, but
>what exactly does adding the suffix '-ion' do to an English
>word?
It makes a verb into a noun, if you mean the -ion in things like division
and multiplication.

Multiply (v) -> Multipl-ication
Divide (v)   -> Divi-sion

>Thank you for any help you might give.
>---Etak
You're welcome, though I don't know how much help this will be...

>P.S.  Could someone please help me find better names for my
>noun classes.  They are currently magical, living, natural,
>man-made, and unnatural.  I've found myself making notes
>about unnatural and man-made endings and it almost sounds
>like I'm talking about someone's untimely death. ;)
:)!  What do you conceptualise as the difference between "unnatural"
and "man-made"?

Magical:    Arcane, Mystic, Sorcerous... any number of variants for this!
Living:     maybe Animate?  Do you consider plants to be part of the
            "Living" category or the "Natural" category?  Plants are
            living, but they are seldom considered animate (except Ents!)
Natural:    Environmental or something similar?  Worldly?
Man-Made:   Created, Tool, Worked, Human (or whatever your speakers are)
Unnatural:  Miscellaneous?  What sort of things come into this noun
            category?

Hope this helps some,

Geoff