Ojebway Language:
A Manual for missionaries
and others employed among the Ojebway Indians
by Edward F. Wilson, 1874
Numerals
The Cardinal Numbers Numeral Affixes The Ordinal Numbers
We shall have some little difficulty with the numerals, and perhaps require a little extra patience. First, we have the simple cardinal numbers, one, two, three, four, &c., and then slight modification of these numbers must take place to fit them for use in composition, and then again must certain tiresome little particles be added to them to indicate the character of the object specified: thus, ishwáuswe, is eight. In composition, this changes to ishwáuso; then, if we are speaking of globular objects, we must say ishwáusomenug. So to express correctly in Ojebway eight apples, we must not say ishwáuswe meshémenug, but ishwáusomenug meshémenug. The advantage, however is, that if apples are present while speaking, or there appears any obvious reason for our alluding to that fruit, we may drop the word apples, and simply use ishwáusomenug; which same word, if used while passing through a turnip field, would obviously mean eight turnips. In like manner there are other particles which denote metal, wood, canoes, bagfuls, handfuls, &c., &c.
We will now give the simple cardinal numbers, and allude again presently to these somewhat perplexing terminations:
Simple In Composition Simple 1 pázhig ningo, or ningotoo- 21 neezhtuhnuh 'zhe pazhig 2 neezh neezho- 22 neezhtuhnuh 'zhe neezh 3 neswé neso- 23 neezhtuhnuh 'zhe neswe 4 néewin neeö- 24 neezhtuhnuh 'zhe neewin 5 naáhnun nahno- 30 nesémeduhnuh 6 ningodwáuswe ningodwauso- 40 néemeduhnuh 7 néezhwahswe neezhwauso- 50 náhnemeduhnuh 8 ishwáhswe ishwauso- 60 ningodwáusemeduhnuh 9 sháunguswe shaunguso- 70 neezhwáusemeduhuh 10 medáhswe medauso- 80 ishwáusemeduhnuh 11 medahswe 'zhe pazhig medahswe 'zhe ningo- 90 sháugusemeduhnuh 12 medahswe 'zhe neezh medahswe 'zhe neezho- 100 ningodwáuk 13 medahswe 'zhe neswe medahswe 'zhe neso- 101 ningodwauk 'zhe pazhig 14 medahswe 'zhe neewin medahswe 'zhe neeö- 110 ningodwauk 'zhe medahswe 15 medahswe 'zhe nahnun medahswe 'zhe nahno- 120 ningodwauk 'zhe neezhtuhnuh 16 medahswe 'zhe ningodwauswe medahswe 'zhe ningodwauso- 200 neezhwauk 17 medahswe 'zhe neezhwauswe medahswe 'zhe neezhwauso- 300 néswauk 18 medahswe 'zh' ishwauswe medahswe 'zhe ishwauso- 1,000 medauswauk 19 medahswe 'zhe shaunguswe medahswe 'zhe shaunguso- 10,000 medahching medauswauk 20 néezhtuhnuh neezhtuhnuh dusso- Note. - All numbers above 20 have marely dusso added in composition. 'Zhe is the contradiction of the conjunction uhzhe.
-menúg, singifies globular objects. Thus five turnips, nahnomenug cheesug; fifty seeds, nahnemedahnuh dussómenug menekáunun.
-nug, canoes, boats, &c. Thus: twenty canoes, neezhtuhnuh dussonug cheemáunun.
-shk, breadths of cloth, &c. Thus: two breadths of flannel, neezhooshk wahbeeginoon.
-óoshkin, bags-full. Thus: two bags-full, neezhooshkin; one hundred bags-full, ningodwauk dassooshkin.
-sug, wooden vessels, barrels, boxes, &c. Thus: thirty barrels, nesemeduhnuh dussosug; half a barrel (or box), ahbettuhwesug.
-wáhbik, metal, stone, glass, &c. Thus: thirty pieces of silver, nesemeduhnuh dusswuhbik shooneyah. Two dollars, neezhwáhbik.
-wáhtig, wood, or lumber. Thus: twenty-two planks, neezhtuhnuh 'zhe neezh dussowahtig nuhbuggesugoog.
-wag, cloth, &c. Thus: twelve pocket-handkerchiefs, medahswe 'zhe neezhwag mooshwag.
-wáwaun, pair, couple, yoke. Thus: three pair of chicken, neswawaun puhkuhuhquayag.
Note. - There are many other similar numeral endings, as goon, days; góonuhgeze, day's old; 'zid, feet; ninj, inches; bonekun, handsful, &c., &c.; but all will be found under their proper heads in the Dictionary, and the above are given as examples of the principal ones.
For the verbal use of Numerals, see one, two, three, &c., in the Dictionary.
1st netúm, or nátumesing 18th ako 'zh' ishwauching. 2nd ako-néezhing 19th ako 'zhe shaunguching 3rd ako-nesíng 20th ako neezhtuhnuhwag 4th ako-néewing 21st ako neezhtuhnuh 'zhe pazhig 5th ako-náhning 22nd ako neezhtuhnuh 'zhe neezhing 6th ako-nindogwáuching 23rd ako neezhtuhnuh 'zhe nesing 7th ako-néezhwauching 24th ako neezhtuhnuh 'zhe neewing 8th ako-ishwáuching 30th ako nesemeduhnuhwag 9th ako-sháunguching 40th ako néemeduhnuhwag 10th ako-medáuching 50th ako nahnemeduhnuhwag 11th ako-'zhe pázhig 60th ako ningoodwáusemeduhnuhwag 12th ako-'zhe néezhing 70th ako néezhwauseméduhnuhwag 13th ako-'zhe nésing 100th ako ningodwáukwuk 14th ako-'zhe néewing 101st ako ningodwáukwuk 'zhe pázhig 15th ako-'zhe náhning 110th ako ningodwáuk 'zhe medáhching 16th ako-'zhe ningodwáuching 200th ako neezhwáukwuk 17th ako-'zhe néezhwauching 1000th ako medáuswáukwuk