Dec 28, 2008

Tenth - Numerals

Numerals represent a number.

Numbers:[1]
1. kiñe
2. epu
3. kvla
4. meli
5. kecu
6. kayu
7. reqle
8. pura
9. ayja
10. mari
100. pataka
1000. waranka

Note: "pataka" and "waranka" were taken from Quechua[1]

Examples:
11. mari kiñe
12. mari epu
20. epu mari
22. epu mari epu
110. pataka mari
2498. epu waranka meli pataka ayja mari pura.

Numbers in Mapuzugun are made up of just 12 words that are combined to represent any number.
20 is formed by "epu" + "mari" = "epu mari" = two (times)* ten.
300 from the combination of "kvla" + "pataka" = "kvla pataka" = three (times)* hundred.

*the word "times" is used in the translation as a way to make the structure easier to understand.
Actually, 222 is written: epu pataka epu mari epu (literally: two hundred two ten two) making numbers in Mapuzugun a very easy and very logical construction.

To express "twice / two times" the particle "-ci" is added to the numeral.
Example:
Kiñeci = once,
Epuci = twice, etc.

¡Marici wew! = ¡diez veces victoria! [2]
This phrase is commonly used by certain comunities or "lof" of the Mapuce people.

Numbers that did not exist in Mapuzugun were taken from Spanish:
"sero" and
"mijon" /mi'ʎon/.

In his Grammar, Raguileo already added the words "mijon"[1] and "sero"

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[1] Cañumil, Tulio et al, op. cit.
[2] Translation by Tulio Cuñimil. In her book Lucía Golluscio (El Pueblo Mapuche: poéticas de pertenencia y devenir. Ed. Biblos, Buenos Aires, 2006, pag. 207) translates this phrase as: "Diez veces estamos vivos... diez veces venceremos!" (ten times alive, ten times we will win/defeat). Howwever, as it is clearly seen "marici" means "ten times" and "wew" means "victory". Each lof added a colective meaning to this expression.