How to count in Selaru (tel Masylarkwe), a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in the Tanimbar Islands in southern Malaysia.
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| Numeral | Cardinal |
|---|---|
| 1 | sasam |
| 2 | enaru (ru) |
| 3 | enatelw (telw) |
| 4 | ena’at (‘at) |
| 5 | enasim (sim) |
| 6 | nem |
| 7 | itw |
| 8 | walw |
| 9 | siw |
| 10 | hean |
| 11 | hean a kresi sasam |
| 12 | hean a kresi enaru |
| 13 | hean a kresi enatelw |
| 14 | hean a kresi ena’at |
| 15 | hean a kresi enasim |
| 16 | hean a kresi nem |
| 17 | hean a kresi itw |
| 18 | hean a kresi walw |
| 19 | hean a kresi siw |
| 20 | hean ru |
| 21 | hean ru a kresi sasam |
| 22 | hean ru a kresi enaru |
| 23 | hean ru a kresi enatelw |
| 24 | hean ru a kresi ena’at |
| 25 | hean ru a kresi enasim |
| 26 | hean ru a kresi nem |
| 27 | hean ru a kresi itw |
| 28 | hean ru a kresi walw |
| 29 | hean ru a kresi siw |
| 30 | hean telw |
| 40 | hean ‘at |
| 50 | hean sim |
| 60 | hean nem |
| 70 | hean itw |
| 80 | hean walw |
| 90 | hean siw |
| 100 | atkwe sasam |
| 200 | atkwe enaru |
| 211 | atkwe enaru ksala hean a kresi sasam |
| 300 | atkwe enatelw |
| 400 | atkwe ena‘at |
| 500 | atkwe enasim |
| 600 | atkwe nem |
| 700 | atkwe itw |
| 800 | atkwe walw |
| 900 | atkwe siw |
| 1,000 | ribunke sasam |
The versions of the numbers 2-5 in parentheses are the truncated or stem forms. This form is used in specified noun phrases and for modifying the value of another decimal (e.g. 20 = two 10's). The terms a kresi (used for numbers in the 10s) or ksala (used for numbers in the 100s) simply mean 'add'. This system can be used for almost all counting processes (though much of it is now being replaced by Indonesian). There are a few noun types which are counted with other types of systems. Ears of corn and coconuts are just a few examples of nouns which have their own counting system (for numbers one to ten).
Source: An Introduction To The Grammar Of Selaru by David Forrest Coward
Information compiled by Wolfgang Kuhl
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Selaru | Numbers | Tower of Babel
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