Lower Sorbian/Grammar/Numerals

Numeral with noun groups
(a) accommodation of numeral groups in a sentence - as a subject being a main part of the numeral group, it goes into a relationship of a mutual accommodation: it triggers dual number in a noun, the noun triggers than a dual number in a verb
 * the numeral jaden, jadna, jadno `1` is formally an adjective– i.e. it creates with a noun a relationship of agreement, in which the noun is the domining part
 * the numeral dwa, dwě `2`,
 * the numerals tśo, tśi `3` and styrjo, styri `4` behave like the numeral 2, however they trigger in a noun (and directly - in a verb) plural number
 * numerals higher than 5[apart from compounds with numeral 1-4, what will be mentioned here later] are formally singular nouns, the objects of which are the quantified nouns on a principle of government – triggering GEN. pl.; those numerals trigger plural number in a verb** [!] (np. Gospoza jo wšykno wurěšyła a te šesć paršonow su zasej zgromaźone, SC-1926-032, Po 10 dnjach su něto hyšći pěś zasypanych gornikow žywe k swětłu pśišli, NSC-1923-024)

[* - the numerals 1-10 have alternative forms, extended with an ending –o, which are used to quantify masculine nouns – those than take '''w NOM. pl.', e.g. Šesćo Nimce su jogo wobstupili'', SC-1926-040]

[** - if the numeral group follows linearly a verb, the verb can also take singular number, e.g. Běšo wosym wosobow śěžko a šesć lažko zranjonych, NSC-1923-016]

(b) accommodation of numeral groups and oblique cases wobec Cogodla ma južo we styrźasća lětach šere włosy, Prat-1935, W slědnych šesć dnjach woranja jo bur był lichy, SC-1924-039
 * the numerals 1-4 mandatory take categorial forms, expected by a government binding, e.g. Njejsu mogli z tśomi konimi woz wuśěgnuś, SC-1926-024
 * the numerals 5-40 can take categorial forms, expected by a government binding, yet they can do otherwise, e.g. Jěł jo Hansko nalědy, k šesćim korcam nawora, MWi_DobWjac, Nowy sud ze styrźasćimi politiskimi a juristiskimi sobucłonkami, NSC-1923-005

Declension of the numerals 1-4
(a) jaden, jadna, jadno `1` [NOM. f. and du. i pl. - strictly according to the adjectival pattern]

(b) dwa, dwěma `2`

(c) tśo, tśi `3` i styrjo, styri `4` - pluralia tantum

(d) inflective numerals over 4 are inflected like tśi, styri

Cardinal numerals
n: 1.  jaden, 2. dwa, '3. tśi, 4. śtyri, 5. pěś, 6. šesć, 7. sedym, 8. wosym, 9.źewjeś, 10.' źaseś

10 + n, n &lt; 10: n + nasćo /''11. jadnasćo''/

d = 10n, 4 &gt; n &gt; 1: n + źasća /''40. styŕzasća''/ d' = 10n, 10 &gt; n &gt; 4: n + źaset 

d + n, n &lt; 10: n + a + d / d + a + n, e.g. ''21. jaden a dwaźasća, dwaźasća a jaden''

a) numerals over 100 are treated as nouns, including the rules of accommodation to the numerals-multipliers, e.g.  sto – dwě sćě

b) lower positions are added to them by attaching to them a coordinate group after a conjunction a, e.g. dwě sće a jaden

100 sto

1 000 towzynt (tysac)

1 000 000 milion

Ordinal numerals
Formally they are adjectives.

 1. prědny, 2. drugi, '3.  tśeśi, 4. stworty, 5. pěty, 6. šesty,7. sedymy, 8. wosymy, 9.źewjety, 10.' źasety

G - cardinal numeral, P - ordinal numeral

G[x...nasćo] &gt; P[x...nasty]

G[x...źasća] &gt; P[x...źasty]

G[x...źaset] &gt; P[x...źasety]

100. hundertny (stoty) 100n, n &lt; 10: G+hundertny, np. 200. dwahundertny 100 + n, n &lt; 100: sto + P[n], np. 150. sto a pěśźasety 1 000.  towzyntny (tysacny)

a) in compound ordinal numerals by a rule only the last part takes a form of an ordinal numeral, while the remaining ones retain the form of ordinal numerals, e.g. 583. pěś stow a tśi a wosymźasety

b) in tens-ones compounds both parts can take inflective form of an ordinal numeral, even independently of the order of the tens and ones, np. we tśeśem a wosymźasetem

Adjectival derivates of numerals
a) frequentative numeral adjective - ''(1. jadnaki), 2. dwoji, 3. tšoji, 4. stwory, ... [G + ory'' ]; from the frequentatives are also derived collective nouns + they stay before pluralia tantum (in neuter gender)

b) manifold adjectives - 1. jadnaki, 2. dwojaki, 3.tšojaki, 4. stworaki, ... [G + raki]

c) frequentative adverbs - 1. raz, 2. dwojcy; higher ones G + a noun raz or krot

Fractional numerals
a) 1/x, 11 &gt; x &gt; 2: x+in /3. tśeśina, 4. stworśina/, np. pěśina b) x/(x+1): x + adequately inflected noun źěł, np. 2/3. dwa źěła  c) x/y: x + źěł wót + P[y] w GEN., np. 2/5. dwa źěła wót pěśich