Numbers in Láadan



Learn numbers in Láadan

Knowing numbers in Láadan is probably one of the most useful things you can learn to say, write and understand in Láadan. Learning to count in Láadan may appeal to you just as a simple curiosity or be something you really need. Perhaps you have planned a trip to a country where Láadan is the most widely spoken language, and you want to be able to shop and even bargain with a good knowledge of numbers in Láadan.

It's also useful for guiding you through street numbers. You'll be able to better understand the directions to places and everything expressed in numbers, such as the times when public transportation leaves. Can you think of more reasons to learn numbers in Láadan?

Láadan is a constructed language created in 1982 by the American linguist and science fiction novelist Suzette Haden Elgin in her series Native Tongue. Doubly-created as we may say, as Láadan is invented by a group of feminist linguists in her dystopic world in order to communicate with aliens. Beyond its central aspect in the books plot, it has been designed as a female language aimed at expressing feminine perceptions. Among its specific traits, one can express in an unambiguous way how one feels about what she is saying. Laadan is a true thought experiment to understand what would a female language look like, and if it would be acknowledged by women, and particularly by feminists.

List of numbers in Láadan

Here is a list of numbers in Láadan. We have made for you a list with all the numbers in Láadan from 1 to 20. We have also included the tens up to the number 100, so that you know how to count up to 100 in Láadan. We also close the list by showing you what the number 1000 looks like in Láadan.

  • 1) nede
  • 2) shin
  • 3) boó
  • 4) bim
  • 5) shan
  • 6) bath
  • 7) um
  • 8) nib
  • 9) bud
  • 10) thab
  • 11) nedethab
  • 12) shinethab
  • 13) boóthab
  • 14) bimethab
  • 15) shanethab
  • 16) bathethab
  • 17) umethab
  • 18) nibethab
  • 19) budethab
  • 20) thabeshin
  • 30) thabebóo
  • 40) thabebim
  • 50) thabeshan
  • 60) thabebath
  • 70) thabum
  • 80) thabenib
  • 90) thabebud
  • 100) debe
  • 1,000) thob
  • one million) rod
  • one billion) merod

Numbers in Láadan: Láadan numbering rules

Each culture has specific peculiarities that are expressed in its language and its way of counting. The Láadan is no exception. If you want to learn numbers in Láadan you will have to learn a series of rules that we will explain below. If you apply these rules you will soon find that you will be able to count in Láadan with ease.

The way numbers are formed in Láadan is easy to understand if you follow the rules explained here. Surprise everyone by counting in Láadan. Also, learning how to number in Láadan yourself from these simple rules is very beneficial for your brain, as it forces it to work and stay in shape. Working with numbers and a foreign language like Láadan at the same time is one of the best ways to train our little gray cells, so let's see what rules you need to apply to number in Láadan

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  • Digits from one to nine are rendered by specific words, namely nede [1], shin [2], boó [3], bim [4], shan [5], bath [6], um [7], nib [8], and bud [9].
  • Numbers from eleven to nineteen are formed by suffixing the unit with the word for ten (thab), and adding the letter e if the digit name of the unit ends with a consonant: nedethab [11], shinethab [12], boóthab [13], bimethab [14], shanethab [15], bathethab [16], umethab [17], nibethab [18], and budethab [19].
  • Tens are formed by prefixing the multiplier digit with the word for ten (thab), except for ten itself, and adding the letter e if the multiplier name starts with a consonant: thab [10], thabeshin [20], thabebóo [30], thabebim [40], thabeshan [50], thabebath [60], thabum [70], thabenib [80], and thabebud [90].
  • Hundreds are formed by prefixing the multiplier digit with the word for hundred (debe), except for one hundred itself, and deleting the final e of debe before a vowel: debe [100], debeshin [200], debebóo [300], debebim [400], debeshan [500], debebath [600], debum [700], debenib [800], and debebud [900].
  • Thousands are formed by prefixing the multiplier digit with the word for thousand (thob), except for one thousand itself, and adding the letter e if the multiplier name starts with a consonant: thob [1,000], thobeshin [2,000], thobebóo [3,000], thobebim [4,000], thobeshan [5,000], thobebath [6,000], thobum [7,000], thobenib [8,000], and thobebud [9 000].
  • Compound numbers are formed by using the conjunction i (and) to link tens and units, hundreds and tens, thousands and hundreds, that is to say the numbers of each rank (e.g.: thabebath i nede [61], debeshan i thabebath i boó [563], thobenib i debebim i umethab [8,417]).
  • Millions are formed the same way as thousands, based on the word for million (rod): rod [one million], rodeshin [two million], rodebóo [three million]…
  • Billions are formed the same way as thousands, based on the word for billion (merod, formed on the plural marker me- and rod, million): merod [one billion], merodeshin [two billion], merodebóo [three billion]…
  • Numbers in different languages