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Chlouvānem/Morphology: Difference between revisions
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'''Cardinal numerals''' may be used in two ways, depending on whether emphasis is given to the number or to the thing counted. | '''Cardinal numerals''' may be used in two ways, depending on whether emphasis is given to the number or to the thing counted. | ||
* In the most common use, the counted thing is emphasized: the numeral is put '''before''' the noun and the noun is always '''singular''' (except for "two", see below) plus the appropriate case: e.g. ''emibe yujam'' (one lotus flower); ''dani māra'' (two mango fruits); ''pāmvi haloe'' (three names), ''vælden ñaiṭa'' (eleven stars), and so on. | * In the most common use, the counted thing is emphasized: the numeral is put '''before''' the noun and the noun is always '''singular''' (except for "two", see below) plus the appropriate case: e.g. ''emibe yujam'' (one lotus flower); ''dani māra'' (two mango fruits); ''pāmvi haloe'' (three names), ''vælden ñaiṭa'' (eleven stars), and so on. | ||
* If emphasis is given to the number, then the counted thing comes first, and, if it should be in direct, ergative, or accusative case, it is in '''genitive singular''' instead; the semantic direct, ergative, or accusative case is taken by the numeral itself if it is one, two, three, or compounds. Examples: ''yujami emibe'' (one lotus flower), ''māri dani'' (two mango fruits), '' | * If emphasis is given to the number, then the counted thing comes first, and, if it should be in direct, ergative, or accusative case, it is in '''genitive singular''' instead; the semantic direct, ergative, or accusative case is taken by the numeral itself if it is one, two, three, or compounds. Examples: ''yujami emibe'' (one lotus flower), ''māri dani'' (two mango fruits), ''halenyes pāmvi'' (three names), ''ñaiṭi vælden'' (eleven stars). In other cases, the noun follows the semantic case (but is always singular anyway), e.g. ''marti pāmvi'' (three cities) but ''marte pāmvye'' (in the three cities).<br/>This form is increasingly less common in everyday use. | ||
* "Two" may be used with either singular or dual number: ''dani māra'' or ''māri dani'' are both as correct as ''dani mārāt'' and ''māreva dani'' - note that the dual number alone, without the numeral, has the same meaning. Outside of literary texts, it is however more common to specify "two" with the numeral. | * "Two" may be used with either singular or dual number: ''dani māra'' or ''māri dani'' are both as correct as ''dani mārāt'' and ''māreva dani'' - note that the dual number alone, without the numeral, has the same meaning. Outside of literary texts, it is however more common to specify "two" with the numeral. | ||