Sebastianish/Lesson4

VIII. The numbers

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 * Basic numbers||||||||||Ordinal numbers
 * 1 Unum ||11 Undecem || 21 Ventunum || 60 Sixanta |||| 1. Primus (f prima)
 * 2 Dues || 12 Doudecem || 22 Ventidues ||65 Sixantacinquam |||| 2. Secondus (f seconda)
 * 3 Tres || 13 Tredecem || 23 Ventitres || 70 Septanta |||| 3. Trezus (f treza)
 * 4 Quattrum || 14 Quattrodecem || 30 Trenta || 76 Septantasix |||| 4. Quartus
 * 5 Cinquam || 15 Cinquadecem || 31 Trentunum || 80 Octanta |||| 5. Quintus
 * 6 Six || 16 Sidecem || 32 Trentadues || 87 Octantasept |||| 6. Sixtus
 * 7 Septem ||17 Decemsept || 40 Quaranta ||90 Novanta |||| 7. Septimus
 * 8 Octo || 18 Decemoct || 43 Quarantatres||100 Cento |||| 8. Octus
 * 9 Novem || 19 Decemnov || 50 Cinquanta ||1000 Milla |||| 9. Novus
 * 10 Decem || 20 Venti || 54 Cinquantaquattrum||2010 Dues milla decem |||| 10. Decimus
 * }
 * 6 Six || 16 Sidecem || 32 Trentadues || 87 Octantasept |||| 6. Sixtus
 * 7 Septem ||17 Decemsept || 40 Quaranta ||90 Novanta |||| 7. Septimus
 * 8 Octo || 18 Decemoct || 43 Quarantatres||100 Cento |||| 8. Octus
 * 9 Novem || 19 Decemnov || 50 Cinquanta ||1000 Milla |||| 9. Novus
 * 10 Decem || 20 Venti || 54 Cinquantaquattrum||2010 Dues milla decem |||| 10. Decimus
 * }
 * 9 Novem || 19 Decemnov || 50 Cinquanta ||1000 Milla |||| 9. Novus
 * 10 Decem || 20 Venti || 54 Cinquantaquattrum||2010 Dues milla decem |||| 10. Decimus
 * }
 * }

As we see, the names of the numbers are put together like a puzzle, just as in English, French, Spanish, Italian etc. Twenty-two becomes "ventidues" (20 + 2, venti + dues), for instance. But, it would appear a vowel crash some places, if we always sat the words together like that. Therefor, we have the following formula: a number beginning with a vowel + a number ending with a vowel = the first number loses its last vowel.

Examples: 21 = ventunum. Here's the i in "venti" removed. 98 = novantocto. Here is the a in "novanta" removed.

If you want to write ordinal numbers, coming after those you may find in the table (1-10), it's extremely easy. For ordinals after 10, you only have to remove the last vowel, and eventual letters behind this, and add the suffix ~esimus. Except for 17, 18 og 19, these are kept as they are, and are so added with ~esimus. Examples: 11. Undecesimus 12. Doudecesimus 17. Decemseptesimus 18. Decemoctesimus 19. Decemnovesimus 20. Ventesimus 39. Trentanovesimus

In ordinals, remember to always change -us with -a if it's in context with a feminine word. F. ex., "the first lady": La prima femina.

VIII. How to tell what time it is in Sebastianish:

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 * Quel' hora esta? (What time is it? lit. "which is the hour?")
 * 01:00 L'hora esta prima
 * 02:00 L'hora esta seconda
 * 03:05 L'hora esta treza e cinquam
 * 04:10 L'hora esta quarta e decem
 * 05:15 L'hora esta quinta e la quarta
 * 06:20 L'hora esta sixta e venti
 * 07:30 L'hora esta septima e medium
 * 10:45 L'hora esta undecesima mena la quarta
 * 12:00 L'hora esta midiem
 * 14:00 L'hora esta quattrodecesimus
 * 17:00 L'hora esta decemseptesimus
 * Esta midiem = it's midday
 * Esta minotta = it's midnight
 * }
 * 10:45 L'hora esta undecesima mena la quarta
 * 12:00 L'hora esta midiem
 * 14:00 L'hora esta quattrodecesimus
 * 17:00 L'hora esta decemseptesimus
 * Esta midiem = it's midday
 * Esta minotta = it's midnight
 * }
 * 17:00 L'hora esta decemseptesimus
 * Esta midiem = it's midday
 * Esta minotta = it's midnight
 * }
 * Esta minotta = it's midnight
 * }

All expressions of time are said with "the hour is", followed by the ordinal. 01:00 is the first hour ("la prima"), 02:00 is the second hour (la seconda) etc. If anyone have asked what time it is, you may drop the word "l'hora" and simply answer "esta" and the ordinal (it's... o'clock).

Exercise 4
A) Write the following numbers with letters: 42 36 150 29 148 1200 1240 2400 3000 10 000

We'll learn more numbers later on, like 0 og 1 000 000, for instance. The exercise is supposed to be solved this way: 1 is written as "unum". 50 is written "cinquanta", 100 like "cento" osv. You shall not write the number, but the word for it.

B) Watch the clock sometimes the rest of the day, and note the time in Sebastianish. If you f.ex. are looking at the clock when it's 10:05, you simply write "l'hora esta decima e cinquam". - Last page: Conversazionum 1 Next page: Lexionum 5