Numbers and Counting

Na'vi counts in eights, not tens. The reason given for it is that the people have four fingers on each hand, which makes eight on two. This chapter teaches the numerals, shows how bigger numbers are built from smaller ones, and shows how to count things and put them in order.

The Numerals 0 to 7

Watch the stress, as in Chapter 2: múne, pxéy, tsìng, mrr, púkap, kínä. The numeral mune shortens to me-, not mu-, in compounds.

Eight and Beyond

The number eight is vol. Written in the system's own columns it would be "10": one eight and no ones. After that, each number is eight plus a unit, so 9 is "eight and one".

The rule: to add 1 to 7 to a power of eight, drop the l of vol (except with 1) and lenite the first sound of the unit, the same changes as Chapter 3. That is why 12 shows -sìng (from tsìng, ts → s) and 11 shows -péy (from pxey, px → p). The endings of 14 and 15 are shorter than their numerals and have to be learned.

Multiples of Eight

Every number up to 63 is a single word. The number 63 (seven eights and seven) is written as one long word starting kivo-.

The Big Round Numbers

Zam plays the part of our "hundred": it is the first number that is a column of its own. A multiplier of 2 to 7 goes in front of it, as with vol.

Counting Things

A number goes before the noun and is joined to it with the linker a from Chapter 7, which attaches to the number. The noun after the number stays singular, because the number already says how many.

Compare English, where "two children" has a plural ending as well. Na'vi gives the amount once, in the number. The dual prefix me+ is for when the noun already means "the pair", not when a number is present.

Putting Things in Order: Ordinals

"First", "second" and so on add the unstressed suffix -ve to the short form of the numeral, with a few irregularities, and "third" and "eighth" use the longer forms.

An ordinal in front of a noun takes the linker a, like an adjective: 'áwvea or a'áwve beside the noun.

Hands-On Exercises