The traditional counting system used in the Welsh language is vigesimal, i.e. based on twenties, as in the French numerals for 60-99, where numbers from 11–14 are "x on ten", 16–19 are "x on fifteen" (though 18 is more usually "two nines"); numbers from 21–39 are "1–19 on twenty", 40 is "two twenty", 60 is "three twenty", etc.
There is also a decimal counting system, which is widely used, especially in Patagonian Welsh[citation needed], where numbers are "x ten y" unit(s), e.g. thirty-five in decimal is tri deg pump (three ten five) while in vigesimal it is pymtheg ar hugain (fifteen – itself "five-ten" – on twenty).
Contents |
Numerals
| Number | Vigesimal system | Decimal system |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | dim | |
| 1 | un | |
| 2 | dau (m), dwy (f) | |
| 3 | tri (m), tair (f) | |
| 4 | pedwar (m), pedair (f) | |
| 5 | pum(p) | |
| 6 | chwe(ch) | |
| 7 | saith | |
| 8 | wyth | |
| 9 | naw | |
| 10 | deg, deng | |
| 11 | un ar ddeg ("one on ten") | un deg un |
| 12 | deuddeg, deuddeng | un deg dau/dwy |
| 13 | tri/tair ar ddeg | un deg tri/tair |
| 14 | pedwar/pedair ar ddeg | un deg pedwar/pedair |
| 15 | pymtheg, pymtheng | un deg pump |
| 16 | un ar bymtheg ("one on five-ten") | un deg chwech |
| 17 | dau/dwy ar bymtheg | un deg saith |
| 18 | deunaw ("two nine") | un deg wyth |
| 19 | pedwar/pedair ar bymtheg | un deg naw |
| 20 | ugain | dau ddeg |
| 21 | un ar hugain ("one on twenty") | dau ddeg un |
| 22 | dau/dwy ar hugain | dau ddeg dau/dwy |
| 23 | tri/tair ar hugain | dau ddeg tri/tair |
| 24 | pedwar/pedair ar hugain | dau ddeg pedwar/pedair |
| 25 | pump ar hugain | dau ddeg pump |
| 26 | chwech ar hugain | dau ddeg chwech |
| 27 | saith ar hugain | dau ddeg saith |
| 28 | wyth ar hugain | dau ddeg wyth |
| 29 | naw ar hugain | dau ddeg naw |
| 30 | deg ar hugain ("ten on twenty") | tri deg |
| 31 | un ar ddeg ar hugain | tri deg un |
| 32 | deuddeg ar hugain | tri deg dau |
| etc. | ||
| 40 | deugain ("two twenty") | pedwar deg |
| 41 | deugain ac un ("two twenty and one") | pedwar deg un |
| 50 | hanner cant ("half a hundred") | pump deg |
| 51 | hanner cant ac un | pum deg un |
| 60 | trigain ("three twenty") | chwe deg |
| 61 | trigain ac un | chwe deg un |
| 70 | deg a thrigain ("ten on three twenty") | saith deg |
| 71 | un ar ddeg a thrigain ("one on ten on three twenty") | saith deg un |
| 80 | pedwar ugain ("four twenty") | wyth deg |
| 81 | pedwar ugain ac un | wyth deg un |
| 90 | deg a phedwar ugain ("ten and four twenty") | naw deg |
| 91 | un ar ddeg a phedwar ugain (" one on ten and four twenty") | naw deg un |
| 100 | can(t) | |
| 200 | dau gant | |
| 300 | tri chant | |
| 400 | pedwar cant | |
| 500 | pum cant | |
| 600 | chwe chant | |
| 1000 | mil | |
| 2000 | dwy fil | |
| 1,000,000 | miliwn | |
| 1,000,000,000 | biliwn | |
Variation in form
There is some syntactically and phonologically triggered variation in the form of numerals. There are, for example, masculine and feminine forms of the numbers "two" (dau and dwy), "three" (tri and tair) and "four" (pedwar and pedair), which must agree with the grammatical gender of the objects being counted. The numerals for "five", "six" and "hundred" (pump, chwech and cant) also have reduced forms (pum, chwe, can) when they precede the object they are counting. The words for "ten", "twelve", and "fifteen" (deg, deuddeg, pymtheg) have the alternative forms deng, deuddeng, pymtheng used before nasals (which may be the result of mutation) and, occasionally, vowels; these forms are becoming less common.[1] Numerals change as expected according to normal rules of consonant mutation; some also trigger mutation in some following words, which may depend for a given numeral on the gender of the following word, its initial consonant, or even the lexical item in question (the forms pum and deng , for example, cause nasal mutation in blynedd, blwydd, "years").[2]
Use of the decimal system
The decimal system is widely used, but is rather uncommon for dates and ages. Larger numbers, however, tend to be expressed in this system e.g. 1,965 mil, naw cant chwe deg pump. In referring to years, on the other hand, the number of thousands is stated, followed by the individual digits, e.g. 1965 mil naw chwe(ch) pump. This system appears to have broken down for years after 2000, e.g. 2005 is dwy fil a phump.
Notes
- ^ "Deng". On-line Welsh Grammar Guide. University of Wales, Lampeter. http://www.geiriadur.net/gramadeg/index.php?section=deng. Retrieved on 30 July 2009.
- ^ "Deng". On-line Welsh Grammar Guide. University of Wales, Lampeter. http://www.geiriadur.net/gramadeg/index.php?section=deng. Retrieved on 30 July 2009.,"Pump". On-line Welsh Grammar Guide. University of Wales, Lampeter. http://www.geiriadur.net/gramadeg/index.php?section=pump. Retrieved on 30 July 2009.
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