Gerlyver Kescows 2nd Edition Numerals Section

Publication of the second edition of Gerlyver Kescows in printed form is expected once the new Gerlyver Brâs has been finalized. Meanwhile the full text of the Numerals section appears below. This may be modified from time to time in the light of comments. So if you are supportive of revived traditional Cornish and the Kernowek Standard spelling system, please let us know in the event you find any errors or think something might be improved. Go to Contact Us.

Last updated: 26 October 2022 (10:00)

NUMERALS

If you are in doubt about the grammar of numerals, consult Desky Kernowek or another good textbook.

màn

Cardinals (one, two etc)

When used as a noun a numeral is masculine, except feminine mil. Decimal alternatives are a modern creation. They are universally accepted for mathematics; many use them also in other contexts; they are followed by preposition a² + pl.

onen (also used as pron gendered as for noun it represents)

udn + noun – udn never follows its noun, nor can it stand alone

Mutation after udn as for an

dew² before masculine noun or tra ‘thing’, or referencing it pronominally

dyw² before feminine noun or referencing it pronominally

Note an dhew², an dhyw²

But an dêwdhek, an dêwgans

try³ before masculine noun or tra ‘thing’, or referencing it pronominally

Note tredden m ‘three men’, treddeth m ‘three days’, tremis m ‘three months’

teyr³ before feminine noun or referencing it pronominally

Note an theyr before or referencing feminine noun not subject to Third State mutation

peswar before masculine noun or tra ‘thing’ or referencing it pronominally

peder before feminine noun or referencing it pronominally

or pajer (not gender specific)

pymp

whegh

whe before consonant

seyth

eth

naw

deg pl degow

Note degyl ‘decimal’

udnek

dêwdhek

tredhek

peswardhek

pymthek

whêtek

seytek

êtek

nawnjek

ugans pl ugansow

Note hanter-ugans m ‘a dozen’ (loosely)

onen warn ugans

udn + noun warn ugans

or dew dheg onen

nawnjek warn ugans

or try deg naw

dêwgans

or dew ugans

or peswar deg

onen ha dêwgans

udn + noun ha dêwgans

or peswar deg onen

hanter-cans

or deg ha dêwgans

or pymp deg

nawnjek ha dêwgans

or pymp deg naw

try ugans

or whe deg

onen ha try ugans

udn + noun ha try ugans

or whe deg onen

nawnjek ha try ugans

or seyth deg naw

peswar ugans

or eth deg

onen ha peswar ugans

udn + noun ha peswar ugans

or eth deg onen

nawnjek ha peswar ugans

or naw deg naw

100

cans pl cansow

115

cans ha pymthek

or cans, udn deg pymp

120

whegh ugans

or cans, dew dheg

121

onen ha whegh ugans

udn + noun ha whegh ugans

or cans, dew dheg onen

140

seyth ugans

or cans, peswar deg

150

deg ha seyth ugans

or cans ha hanter-cans

or cans, pymp deg

160

eth ugans

or cans, whe deg

180

naw ugans

or cans, eth deg

200

dew cans

300

tryhans

or try cans

400

peswar cans

1,000

mil² pl milyow

2,000

dyw vil²

3,000

tremil²

or teyr mil²

4,000

peder mil²

1,000,000

milvil²

or udn mylyon pl mylyons

1,000,000,000

udn bylyon pl bylyons

Ordinals (first, second etc)

1st

kensa

This word is used in First State after all possessive pronouns

2nd

secùnd

or nessa in an express or implied list ‘first, second etc’

3rd

tressa

or tryja

4th

peswora

or pajera

5th

pympes

6th

wheffes

or whehes

7th

seythves

or seythes

8th

êthves

or êthes

9th

nawves

or nawes

10th

degves

11th

unegves

12th

dêwdhegves

13th

tredhegves

14th

peswardhegves

15th

pymthegves

16th

whêtegves

17th

seytegves

18th

êtegves

19th

nawnjegves

20th

ugansves

21st

kensa warn ugans

22nd

secùnd warn ugans

23rd

tressa warn ugans

24th

peswora warn ugans

25th

pympes warn ugans

26th

wheffes warn ugans

27th

seythves warn ugans

28th

êthves warn ugans

29th

nawves warn ugans

30th

degves warn ugans

31st

unegves warn ugans

40th

dêwgansves

50th

hanter-cansves

or degves ha dêwgans

60th

try-ugansves

80th

peswar-ugansves

100th

cansves

1,000th

milves

Phrases

an dhew pron both

an dhyw pron both specifically female / feminine reference

aga dew / pùbonen a’n dhew phr both of them, the two of them

aga dyw / pùbonen a’n dhyw phr both of them, the two of them specifically female / feminine reference

aga thry / pùbonen a’n try phr the three of them

aga feswar / pùbonen a’n peswar phr the four of them

Times (once, twice etc)

Formed with element gweyth which was originally a feminine noun

Many are unattested historically

unweyth 'once'

with express negative ‘even’

See Grammar Words for use with mar⁴ / a⁴

dywweyth 'twice, two times'

tergweyth 'three times'

pedergweyth ‖

pympgweyth ‖

whe gweyth

seythgweyth ‖

êthweyth ‖

nawgweyth ‖

degweyth ‖

100

canqweyth

or cansqweyth ‖

1000

milweyth ‖

also means ‘a lot’ in e.g. expression of thanks

liesgweyth ‖ many times

Fractions

hanter m half Also used as prefix hanter-¹

radna inter dew phr halve

tressa radn f third

udn radn in try phr one third

dyw radn in try phr two thirds

qwartron (qwarter) m quarter

udn qwartron phr one quarter

try whartron phr three quarters

Multiples

dobyl adj double

dobla v double

tryflek adj treble

tryflegy v treble

peswarplek adj quadruple

encressya pedergweyth ‖ phr quadruple verb

Simple calculations

A ha B yw / a wra C

A plus B is C

or A and B make C

A marnas B yw / a wra C

A minus B is / makes C

A [lies’hës ‖] B gweyth yw C

A multiplied by / times B is C

A rydnys inter B yw C

A divided by B is C

Example dates

an êthves mis Est êtek cans, eth ha dêwgans (mil eth peswar eth)

8 August 1848: birth of Henry Jenner

an seythves warn ugans mis Mê nawnjek cans, nawnjek ha dêwgans (mil naw pymp naw)

27 May 1959: passing of R. Morton Nance

an kensa mis Genver dyw vil, onen warn ugans (dyw vil màn dew onen)

1 January 2021