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.
Last updated: 10 September 2024 (18:00)
NUMERALS
If you are in doubt about the grammar of numerals, consult Desky Kernowek or another good textbook.
0
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.
1
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
2
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
3
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
4
peswar before masculine noun or tra ‘thing’ or referencing it pronominally
peder before feminine noun or referencing it pronominally
or pajer (not gender specific)
5
pymp
6
whegh
whe before consonant
7
seyth
8
eth
9
naw
10
deg pl degow
Note degyl ‘decimal’
11
udnek
12
dêwdhek
13
tredhek
14
peswardhek
15
pymthek
16
whêtek
17
seytek
18
êtek
19
nawnjek
20
ugans pl ugansow
Note hanter-ugans m ‘a dozen’ (loosely)
21
onen warn ugans
udn + noun warn ugans
or dew dheg onen
39
nawnjek warn ugans
or try deg naw
40
dêwgans
or dew ugans
or peswar deg
41
onen ha dêwgans
udn + noun ha dêwgans
or peswar deg onen
50
hanter-cans
or deg ha dêwgans
or pymp deg
59
nawnjek ha dêwgans
or pymp deg naw
60
try ugans
or whe deg
61
onen ha try ugans
udn + noun ha try ugans
or whe deg onen
79
nawnjek ha try ugans
or seyth deg naw
80
peswar ugans
or eth deg
81
onen ha peswar ugans
udn + noun ha peswar ugans
or eth deg onen
99
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
1
unweyth 'once'
with express negative ‘even’
See Grammar Words for use with mar4 / a4
2
dywweyth 'twice, two times'
3
tergweyth 'three times'
4
pedergweyth ‖
5
pympgweyth ‖
6
whe gweyth
7
seythgweyth ‖
8
êthweyth ‖
9
nawgweyth ‖
10
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 teyr phr one third
dyw radn in teyr phr two thirds
peswora radn f quarter
udn radn in peder phr one quarter
teyr radn in peder phr three quarters
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