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Chlouvānem/Morphology: Difference between revisions
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'''Collective numerals''' (which decline as regular ''-ām'' nouns) are most commonly found with the meaning of "a group consisting of X ...", therefore implying greater cohesiveness than using the cardinal number implies. A common example of the subtle meaning change is between the sentences ''chīka lalāruṇa togāhaite'' (with a cardinal) and ''chīcætām lalāruṇa togāhaite'' (with a collective): both mean "seven ''lalāruṇai'' hit", but in the latter sentence the action is implied to be a coordinate act of all seven animals, while in the former they either hit randomly or the coordination of the action is not specified (or not specification-worthy). This is also the most common meaning with pluralia tantum, as commonly heard with ethnonyms (which are all plural only in Chlouvānem), e.g. ''šulkatām chlǣvānem'' "[a group of] five Chlouvānem people".<br/> | '''Collective numerals''' (which decline as regular ''-ām'' nouns) are most commonly found with the meaning of "a group consisting of X ...", therefore implying greater cohesiveness than using the cardinal number implies. A common example of the subtle meaning change is between the sentences ''chīka lalāruṇa togāhaite'' (with a cardinal) and ''chīcætām lalāruṇa togāhaite'' (with a collective): both mean "seven ''lalāruṇai'' hit", but in the latter sentence the action is implied to be a coordinate act of all seven animals, while in the former they either hit randomly or the coordination of the action is not specified (or not specification-worthy). This is also the most common meaning with pluralia tantum, as commonly heard with ethnonyms (which are all plural only in Chlouvānem), e.g. ''šulkatām chlǣvānem'' "[a group of] five Chlouvānem people".<br/> | ||
They can also be found, context-dependent, used with the meaning of "all X of..." - in a sentence such as e.g. '' | They can also be found, context-dependent, used with the meaning of "all X of..." - in a sentence such as e.g. ''mbulatām lejīn dilu liju lilejlaikate'' "all eight singers wanted to sing the same song" - or with the meaning of "X sets of" with singularia tantum - e.g. ''pāmvyatām hærṣūs'' "three pairs of lips" (but note that colloquial Chlouvānem increasingly often uses the cardinals here, e.g. ''pāmvi hærṣūs'').<br/> | ||
The collective numerals for 0 and 1 (''ajrāṇṭām'' and ''emibutām'' respectively) are not included in the table above because they do not exist in practical use; however, they are sporadically found in poetry and literature, referring to people and with the meaning of "a group where only one/no one is ...", e.g. ''ajrāṇṭām tadhusmausīn'' "a group where no one is honest". Similarly, collectives for ''vāl-'' numbers (e.g. ''vālpāmvyantām'' "a group consisting of 2½ ...") exist, but are virtually unused. ''danyatām'', like ''dani'', may be use together with either a singular or a dual noun. | The collective numerals for 0 and 1 (''ajrāṇṭām'' and ''emibutām'' respectively) are not included in the table above because they do not exist in practical use; however, they are sporadically found in poetry and literature, referring to people and with the meaning of "a group where only one/no one is ...", e.g. ''ajrāṇṭām tadhusmausīn'' "a group where no one is honest". Similarly, collectives for ''vāl-'' numbers (e.g. ''vālpāmvyantām'' "a group consisting of 2½ ...") exist, but are virtually unused. ''danyatām'', like ''dani'', may be use together with either a singular or a dual noun. | ||
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'''Distributive numerals''' are indeclinable adjective-like words, and have the meaning of "X each": ''pāmvihaicē titē męlyāhai'' "three pens each are given"; ''lili lilyā ñæltah no tulūɂihaicē kolecañi alau ulgutarate'' "my sister and I have bought six bottles of kvas each" — note in both sentences the use of singular number in ''titē'' (pencil) and ''alūs'' (acc. ''alau'') "bottle", just like after cardinal and collective numerals. | '''Distributive numerals''' are indeclinable adjective-like words, and have the meaning of "X each": ''pāmvihaicē titē męlyāhai'' "three pens each are given"; ''lili lilyā ñæltah no tulūɂihaicē kolecañi alau ulgutarate'' "my sister and I have bought six bottles of kvas each" — note in both sentences the use of singular number in ''titē'' (pencil) and ''alūs'' (acc. ''alau'') "bottle", just like after cardinal and collective numerals. | ||
'''Adverbial numerals''' are adverbs with the meaning of "X times" and '''multiplicative numbers''' are adjective-like words (that can also be used alone) with the meaning of "X times as large"; numbers from 1 to 4 have both forms, while all other ones (except 0) have only the multiplicative one, which is used for both meanings. Examples: ''pāmvirvīm yąloe'' "triple meal/a meal three times as large"; ''āsena māgdani'' "twice a month"; ''āsena | '''Adverbial numerals''' are adverbs with the meaning of "X times" and '''multiplicative numbers''' are adjective-like words (that can also be used alone) with the meaning of "X times as large"; numbers from 1 to 4 have both forms, while all other ones (except 0) have only the multiplicative one, which is used for both meanings. Examples: ''pāmvirvīm yąloe'' "triple meal/a meal three times as large"; ''āsena māgdani'' "twice a month"; ''āsena mbularvīm'' "eight times a month".<br/> | ||
Zero only has an adverbial form (''māgajrā''), which is however only used in reading multiplications and powers, e.g. 3 * 0 ''māgajrā pāmvi'', 9<sup>0</sup> ''māgajrā demǣ moja''. | Zero only has an adverbial form (''māgajrā''), which is however only used in reading multiplications and powers, e.g. 3 * 0 ''māgajrā pāmvi'', 9<sup>0</sup> ''māgajrā demǣ moja''. | ||