D'ni grammar/Numbers
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The D'ni used a base-25 numeric system, which means that one symbol is used to represent each numeral from 0 through 24. Just as how in the base-10, or decimal system the modern world uses, another digit is added to integers at each power of 10, so does a base-25 system add another of its numerals at each power of 25.
Contents |
[edit] Appearance of D'ni Numerals
| (0) : Rún |
(1) 1 Fa |
(2) 2 Brí |
(3) 3 Sen |
(4) 4 Tor |
| (5) 5 Vat |
(6) 6 Vagafa |
(7) 7 Vagabrí |
(8) 8 Vagasen |
(9) 9 Vagator |
| (10) ) Nävú |
(11) ! Nägafa |
(12) @ Nägabrí |
(13) # Nägasen |
(14) $ Nägator |
| (15) % Híbor |
(16) ^ Hígafa |
(17) & Hígabrí |
(18) * Hígasen |
(19) ( Hígator |
| (20) ) Rish |
(21) [ Rigafa |
(22) ] Rigabrí |
(23) { Rigasen |
(24) } Rigator |
The appearance of each numeral follows the logic of five: Every fifth number (i.e. 5, 10, 15, 20) is created by the symbols representing 1 through 4 being rotated counterclockwise. This is done respectively, or, as the table below shows, each pair of un-rotated and rotated numerals are in the same position on their separate axes, and meet each other directly across a grid, such that the symbol for 5 is a rotated 1, 10 is a rotated 2, etc...
Following this concept of a grid, the remaining numerals are created by combining the standard numerals where they meet on the grid.
e.g. By combining the numeral for 5 with the numeral 2, you create the numeral for 7.
[edit] Pronunciation of D'ni Numerals
Just as in most languages, we have not only a symbol to represent our numerals, but also we have a word for each, so do the D'ni. The names of the numerals created by combining the standard numerals follow the same logic of combination across the grid. The D'ni word for "and," ga, is inserted between the two standard numerals, always remembering to express the 5-numeral first, then the 1, 2, 3 or 4.
e.g. 7 is called "vagabrí," which means 'five (vat) and (ga) two (brí)'.
[edit] Greater Numbers
The key to understanding how to construct numbers greater than 24 in the D'ni system is remembering that the D'ni numeral system is very similar to the decimal system most common in our modern world in its basest aspects. For instance, like our decimal system, the D'ni numeral system works on a basis of place value.
[edit] Place Value
Place value refers to the location of a numeral relative to another in a number.
- For example, in the decimal number 4,321, (from right to left) the 1 takes the "ones" place, the 3 takes the "tens" place, the 2 takes the "hundreds" place, and the 4 takes the "thousands" place. Mathematically, these places are expressed in powers. The "ones" place is represented by 100. (This is important to remember, because the mathematical rule states that anything to the 0-power equals one.) The "tens" place is represented by 101, the "hundreds" place by 102, the "thousands" place by 103, etc. Thus, the underlying mathematical principal behind our example, and all decimal system numbers is as follows: (1×100)+(2×101)+(3×102+(4×103)=4,321. Of course, since most of us grow up knowing this concept intrinsically, if not literally, we have no need of parsing it out in this way; however, it is important to understand these concepts when trying to understand a place value numeric system of a different base, such as D'ni's.
- With D'ni, it is the same basic concept, except that instead of using 10, we use 25, because it is a base 25 system. The place values, from right to left, are are as follows:
- The first place value is represented mathematically by 250.
- The second place value is represented mathematically by 251.
- The third place value is represented mathematically by 252.
- The fourth place value is represented mathematically by 253.
- The fifth place value is represented mathematically by 254.
- The sixth place value is represented mathematically by 255.
In this way, we can translate the D'ni numbers into a decimal system numbers, which are typically easier for us to use:
- @73 and
- 1:
become
- (3×250)+(7×251)+(12×252)=(3)+(175)+(7500)=7678 and
- (0×250)+(1×251)=(0)+(25)=25
[edit] Pronunciation of Greater Number Place Values
Just like how in our decimal system, we speak our place values (e.g. "three hundred twenty one"), so did the D'ni speak their place values. Past the 25 numerals, there are only 5 known spoken place values. Note that, like in English, they don't speak a place value that has no value, i.e. a value of 0( : or rún)
- "sí" is the spoken form of the 251 place value. So...
- 25 (1x251): fasí ( 1: ) (There is a special character for 25 that can be used by itself, but it is rarely used: ; )
- 50 (2x251): brísí( 2: ),
- 75 (3x251): sensí ( 3: ), etc.
- "ra" is the spoken form of the 252 place value. So...
- 625 (1x252): fara ( 1:: ),
- 1250 (2x252): bríra ( 2:: ),
- 1875 (3x252): senra ( 3:: ),
- "lan" is the spoken form of the 253 place value. So...
- 15,625 (1x253): falan ( 1::: ),
- 31,250 (2x253): brílan ( 2::: ),
- 46,875 (3x253): senlan ( 3::: ), etc.
- "mel" is the spoken form of the 254 place value. So...
- 390,625 (1x254): famel ( 1:::: ),
- 781,250 (2x254) brímel ( 2:::: ),
- 1,171,875 (3x254): senmel ( 3:::: ), etc.
- "blo" is the spoken form of the 255 place value. So...
- 9,765,625 (1x255): fablo ( 1::::: ),
- 19,531,250 (2x255): bríblo ( 2::::: ),
- 29,296,875 (3x255): senblo ( 3::::: ), etc.
We can see the similarities between letter and number systems. Supposedly, letters were evolved from numbers as they grew more calligraphed.
[edit] Quantity
The numbers from 0 to 25 are used for expressions like ‘little’, ‘very’, ‘much’ etc… the larger the number, the greater the emphasis... eg. tägan shem b’fasí ‘I love you to 25/absolutely’. To exaggerate, numbers greater than 25 are used, like 'I love you to 50!!!'
[edit] Ablative
For expressions like '[number] of the...' English as well as most languages uses the genitive. This is not the case with D'ni which uses the preposision teh which has the usage of the Latin ablative.
An expression like 'one of the caves' would be 'one to the caves' (fah tregalpotí). Similarly fa terthtes is translated as 'One of a group'
[edit] Ordinals
Some special constructions exist (Kor’fa, Lísan, etc.) but ordinality is expressed by adding the '-ec' suffix to the cardinal number. Thus, ‘second rock’ is prad bríec, ‘third master’ is nava senec, etc.
