Language name and locationː Rumu, Papua New Guinea [Refer to Ethnologue]

语言名称和分布地区: 鲁穆语 (凯利语 Kairi), 巴布亚新几内亚海湾省

1. rɛ́iapaì

2. tàí

3. hèré

4. tùhî 

5. hèé pàê rɛiapai “hand on one side”

6. hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ́iapaì “hand on one side being there, one”

7. hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, tàí “hand on one side being there, two”

8. hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, here “hand on one side being there, three”

9. hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, tuhi “hand on one side being there, four”

10. hèé pàê tàí “hands on two sides”

11. hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂ (LHL) te rɛiapai “hands on two sides being there, on the foot:

     one”

12. hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  te tàí “hands on two sides being there, on the foot: one”

15. hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  pàê rɛ́iapaì “hands on two sides being there, foot on one

     side”

19 hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  pae ti tɛ tuhi “hands on two sides

     being there, foot on one side being there, on the other foot: four”

20.  ùkî nútú réiapaì (HL) “one whole man”

40 ùkî nútú tàí “two whole men”

Linguist providing data and dateː Mr. Robbie Petterson, SIL PNG, Papua New Guinea., October 4, 2023

提供资料的语言学家: Mr. Robbie Petterson, 2023 年 10 月 4 日.

Other comments: Rumu or Kairi, Rumuhei is spoken by approximately 3,870 speakers in Gulf province: Kikori district, Kikori, Sirebi, and Tiviri rivers north of Kikori, Papua New Guinea.

Rumu Numbers

When counting they start with the little finger of the left hand, curling it over, going through the fingers to the thumb

0 mɔ̀í “nothing”

1 rɛ́iapaì

2 tàí

3 hèré

4 tùhî

5 hèé pàê rɛiapai “hand on one side” Then they do the same on the right hand

6 hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ́iapaì “hand on one side being there, one”

7 hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, tàí “hand on one side being there, two”

8 hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, here “hand on one side being there, three”

9 hèé pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, tuhi “hand on one side being there, four”

10 hèé pàê tàí “hands on two sides”

11 hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂ (LHL) te rɛiapai “hands on two sides being there, on the foot: one”

12 hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  te tàí “hands on two sides being there, on the foot: one”

…

15 hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  pàê rɛ́iapaì “hands on two sides being there, foot on one side”

…

19 hèé pàê tàí mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  pàê rɛ́iapaì mɛ́nɛ́, rɛ̀ɛ̂  pae ti tɛ tuhi “hands on two sides being there, foot on one side being there, on the other foot: four”

20 ùkî nútú réiapaì (HL) “one whole man”

40 ùkî nútú tàí “two whole men”

Mostly they use adaptations of English numbers after tùhî “four”, but they will sometimes try and use these forms when discussing numbers of things amongst themselves in the presence of outsiders that they will have to buy them off.