This section describes the syntax of ordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers denote position in a sequence, or the ranking in some given order.
5.4.1. Small Ordinals
Ordinals from 1 to 8 are formed by joining the combining form of numerals (section 5.1.2) with the ordinal suffix -fen:
Orthography
IPA
Gloss
heŋfen
ˈxɛŋfən
first
ahrfen
ˈɑxʀ̥fən
second
hrafen
ˈxrafən
third
shtehrefen
ˈʃtɛxʀ̥əfən
fourth
hrvatfen
ˈxʀ̥vaθfən
fifth
eshtefen
ˈɛʃtəfən
sixth
sheŋfen
ˈʃɛŋfən
seventh
vahrfen
ˈvɑxʀ̥fən
eighth
These ordinals are adjectives that can be suffixed to nouns or used to form adjectival statements:
ipfaumi buftuhopfheŋfenu.
ipf-au-mi
eye-1sg.p-v
buf-tu-hopf-heŋfen-u
body-3sg.p-leader-first-pat
I saw the first leader.
voluŋgutmi hraulshtehrefendu.
voluŋ-ut-mi
spaceship-3pl-v
hraul-shtehrefen-tu
planet-fourth-dat
They are flying by spaceship to the fourth planet.
eripf motu aisahrfeni.
eripf
Eripf
motu
Motu
ais-ahrfen-i
pilot-second-pred
Eripf Motu is the second pilot.
voluŋturauk vahrfeni pfai shpraggtumi gai hrveruhmaluŋmi.
voluŋ-tu-rauk
spaceship-3sg.p-Rauk
vahrfen-i
eighth-pred
pfai
what
shpragg-tu-mi
bomb-3sg.p-v
gai
why
hrver-uh-maluŋ-mi
gun-4pl.p-enemy_ship-v
Rauk's spaceship was the eighth that exploded because of enemy fire.
The ordinal shnigefen "the last" can also be used in this way:
sebt ais'heŋfeni, vdau rutt aisshnigefeni.
sebt
Sebt
ais-heŋfen-i,
pilot-first-pred
vdau
but
rutt
Rutt
ais-shnigefen-i
pilot-last-pred
Sebt is the first pilot, but Rutt is the last pilot.
5.4.2. Larger Ordinals
Ordinals larger than 8 do not have adjectival forms; instead, a periphrasis involving a subordinate clause is used, with shtrad ("rank", "order") followed by an abstract numeral (section 5.3):
ŋalt rsheini sai shtrad hreishenti.
ŋalt
Ngalt
rshei-i
doctor-pred
sai
who
shtrad
order
hreishen-t-i
twenty-four-nmlz-pred
Ngalt is the 24th doctor.
pulahetrauteŋ bolisi pfai shtrad uhreni vahtt.
pulah-et-rauteŋ
cargo-3sg-Rauteng
bolis-i
shelf-pred
pfai
what
shtrad
order
uhren-i
sixty-four-pred
vaht-t.
eight-nmlz
Rauteng's cargo is on shelf number 72.
Note that the predicative -i is attached to the first word of a multi-word numeral: hence, uhreni vahtt rather than *uhren vahtti.
Sometimes in colloquial speech, the ablative shtradat is used in lieu of the subordinate clause, although in formal settings this is regarded as bad form:
fai voluŋ? voluŋ hruŋtzohi shtradat ashenhreisti.
fai
where
voluŋ?
spaceship
voluŋ
spaceship
hruŋtzoh-i
hangar-pred
shtrad-at
order-abl
ashen-hreis-t-i.
sixteen-three-nmlz-pred
Where's the spaceship? The spaceship is in hangar number 19.