Fun Stuff - Numbers

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Whew!  After that heavy work with "cases," it is time for another fun lesson!
 
Quenya numerals follow the noun.

  1: minë, min (first of a series)

  2: atta
  3: neldë
  4: canta
  5: lempë
  6: enquë
  7: otso  
  8: tolto, toldo
  9: nertë
10: quëan, quain
11: minquë
12: yunquë
13: yunquentë, yunquenta
14: canaquë, canquë
15: lepenquë
16: enenquë
17: otoquë
18: toloquë
19: neterquë.
24: yurasta
 

What happened to "twenty," "thirty," and other useful numbers? You can ask Professor Tolkien about those, next time you talk to him.  

Why do some numbers have several variations?  Probably because Professor Tolkien was not totally consistent throughout his lifetime.

For numbers three and higher, the noun (not the numeral) takes all case endings. The noun is plural, and uses plural endings. The numeral does not change at all. 

   eleni neldë      three stars
   eleninnar neldë   toward three stars 

"Two" is different. For two ("atta"), the noun is not changed. Add "singular" case endings to atta. 

   elen atta      two stars 
   elen attenna   toward two stars
 

The Quenya word min (or minë) refers to "one" in the context of "first of a series," where there is a least the possibility of others. There is another Quenya word, er, which refers to "one alone", "a unique one." Er precedes the noun (like an adjective), and does not take any case endings. 

   lingwë min, lingwë atta   one fish, two fish 
   er corma             One Ring 
   er cormanen           because of One Ring 
 

Practice – Your Turn

Highlight the shaded boxes to see the answers.

┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│         useful vocabulary          │
│ Elda      High Elf                 │
│ Atan      Human                    │
│ Casar     Dwarf                    │
│                                    │
│ possessive case ("belonging to"):  │
│    -va (after vowel)               │
│    -wa (after consonant)           │
└────────────────────────────────────┘

five fishes                                       lingwi lempë 
seven Dwarves                             Casari otso 
belonging to seven Dwarves      Casariva otso 
three rings                                    cormar neldë 
two Humans                                 Atan atta 
belonging to two Humans          Atan attava 
ten Elves                                       Eldar quëan 
belonging to ten Elves                Eldarwa quëan

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Extra Material for the Geeks:

Ordinal Numbers:

These are used as adjectives.  That means that they go before the noun. The noun, not the number, takes any case endings.

1st:   minya

2nd:   attëa

3rd:   neldëa, nelya

4th:   cantëa

5th:   lempëa

6th:   enquëa

7th:   otsëa

8th:   toltëa, toldëa

9th:   nertëa

10th:   quainëa

Practice – Your Turn

fifth fish                  lempëa lingwë

seventh Dwarf       otsëa Casar

third ring                neldëa corma or nelya corma

second Human      attëa Atan

tenth Elf                  quainëa Elda

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Extra Material for the Geeks:

Fractions

I'm not sure whether these are used as nouns or adjectives.   Nor do I know why some words have so many variations.

1/2:   peresta, perta

1/3:   nelesta, neldesta, nelta, nelsat

1/4:   canasta, casta, cansat

1/5:   lepesta, lepsat

1/6:   enquesta

1/7:   otosta, osta, otsat

1/8:   tolosta, tosta, tolsat

1/9:   neresta, nesta, nersat

1/10:   quaista

1/11:   minquesta

1/12:   yunquesta

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