Language name and location: Maung (Mawng), Australia [Refer to Ethnologue]
|
1. -arakap [ʌɽʌkʌp] (inflects for person, number and gender with a prefix ) |
2. nɡarrkarrk [ŋʌɾkʌɾk] |
3. nɡarrkarrk la nɡarrkarrk ( lit: la = 'and' ) |
4. nɡarrkarrk la y-arakap |
5. wurrkamaj yurnu ( lit: side/opposite hand /foot, 'one side of the hand ) |
9. Wurrkamaj yurnu la ngarrkarrk la ngarrkarrk |
Linguist providing data and dateː Dr. Ruth Singer,
Department of
Linguistics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
April 5, 2009. |
Other comments: Maung has only two words for numbers 1 to 2. Interestingly in the expression for 'three' the numeral -arakap usually has singular agreement even though the whole expression takes plural agreement and the plural article - but occasionally the numeral -arakap 'one' takes plural agreement. The term wurrkamaj yurnu [side/ /opposite hand/foot] 'one side of the hand' is used for 'five'. The term wurrkamaj seems to be an old form of wurrkara which is now used to mean 'opposite' or 'one side'. I have not recorded many examples of numerals higher than five but it is clearly possible to add the terms together to get higher numerals. Wurrkamaj yurnu la ngarrkarrk la ngarrkarrk ja kurrana. = Nine months. |
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