c


c
  
Numbers are of two kinds, ÷
  and 
 . Cardinal numbers (such as Modern English ,
  . . .) may function either as nouns or as adjectives:

As noun:

 
sīðon   bēoð     

[

times  are  ]
As adjective:
On  dæġe bēoð  
   tīda
[In  day there are   
hours]

Ordinal numbers (such as Modern English 
, ÷ . . .) are always adjectives, and all of
them are declined weak except for 
'second', which is always strong:

Þone 
  dæġ hīe hēton Sunnandæġ

[They called the 
 day Sunday]
Þone 
 dæġ hīe hēton Mōnandæġ
[They called the ÷ day Monday]

c   

-ere are the cardinal numbers one-twelve:

ān fēower seofon tīen

twēġen, twā fīf eahta endleofan
þrīe, þrēo siex nigon twelf

The cardinal  is usually declined as a strong adjective; when it is declined weak ( ) it means
'alone':   'he lay alone'. The cardinals   and 
 have their own peculiar inflectional
system, shown in table 9.1.

Table 9.1. The numerals   and 


   

twēġen twā, tū twā
 

 twēġa, twēġra
 tw‰m, twām

þrīe þrēo þrēo
 

 þrēora
 þrim

If you substitute a u for the   of  , you will get u (u, u , etc.) 'both'.
Cardinals above three occasionally have grammatical endings, but generally are not declined at
all. The numbers thirteen-nineteen are made by adding  to the numbers 
-:

,  
, etc. From twenty through the sixties, numbers are in the form  
  'twenty-one'.

Starting with seventy, Old English prefixes  to the expected forms:   'seventy',
   'eighty',  'ninety'  or  'one hundred',   
or   'one hundred and twenty'. These curious forms seem to reflect a number system,
common to all the earliest Germanic languages, in which counting proceeded by twelves and
sixty was a significant number in much the same way that one hundred is now.

c   

-ere are the ordinal numbers first-twelfth:

forma, fyrmest fēorða seofoða tēoða

ōðer fīfta eahtoða endlyfta
þridda siexta nigoða twelfta

For 'first' you may also find ‰
, but 
 is not common.

For 'thirteenth' to 'nineteenth', add the element  in place of ordinal : for example,

 'thirteen'. For 'twentieth' and higher, add  ,  or  :  
'fiftieth',      'eighty-fifth'.

‘‘‘

å    !


It is obvious that all Indo-European languages have the general trend of transformation from the
synthetic (or inflectional) stage to the analytic one. At least for the latest 1,000 years this trend
could be observed in all branches of the family.

The level of this analitization process in each single language can be estimated by several
features, their presence or absence in the language. One of them is for sure the declension of the
numerals.

In Proto-Indo-European all numerals, both cardinal and ordinal, were declined, as they derived
on a very ancient stage from nouns or adjectives, originally being a declined part of speech.
There are still language groups within the family with decline their numerals: among them,
Slavic and Baltic are the most typical samples. They practically did not suffer any influence of
the analytic processes. But all other groups seem to have been influenced somehow. Ancient
Italic and -ellenic languages left the declension only for the first four cardinal pronouns (from 1
to 4), the same with ancient Celtic.

The Old English language preserves this system of declension only for three numerals. It is
therefore much easier to learn, though not for English speakers I guess - Modern English lacks
declension at all.

-ere is the list of the cardinal numerals:

 „‘ ‘
‘

‘

‘
‘ „‘

  ‘‘

‘
‘ 
‘

‘

‘ 
‘ 
‘ 

‘

‘‘ 
‘
‘

‘‘ 
‘
‘

‘  ‘ 
‘
‘

‘
‘ 
‘

‘

‘  ‘ 
‘ 
‘

„
‘
 
 ‘ „

‘ 

  

‘

„„‘  ‘ „„
‘ 
‘

„ ‘
‘ „
‘ 

‘

„‘

 ‘

‘
 ‘

„‘ 

 ‘ „


‘  ‘

„‘
  ‘


‘
  ‘

‘ ‘‘ ‘‘‘‘‘ ‘‘

1  is declined just like a strong adjective, can be only singular, but has masculine, neuter and
feminine genders. It is the source of the future indefinite article '   in Modern English. So  
' in fact means "one house", here  disappeared before a consonant. When at school, many
of us thought that  ' derived from   and it appeares vice versa.

2 Ô :
Masc. Neut. Fem.
N twegen tú, twá twá
G twégea, twégra
D twæ'm, twám
A twegen tú, twá twá

So the genders have differences only in nominative and accusative cases, and indirect cases
(genitive and dative) have common forms for all three genders. No number can be changed for it,
and originally this numeral was dual, which seems natural.

3
:
Masc. Neut. Fem.
N þríe, þrí, þrý þrío, þréo þrío, þréo
G þríora, þréora
D þrím
A þríe, þrí, þrý þrío, þréo þrío, þréo
A typical -stem noun. Strange is the following: while in the case of "two" the Modern English
lost masculine and neuter forms and picked up the feminine one for use ('two' < Ô ), here we
have another case, when the feminine and neuter were forgotten, and today's 
 comes
directly from the masculine
.

And the last is the numeral    (both) which is declined the same way as Ô  and is
also dual.

Ordinal numerals use the suffix Ô
or 

, etymologically a common Indo-European one (Ô).

„‘


‘ „‘
 ‘

‘ 



‘ „‘
 ‘

‘
 
‘ „‘
 ‘

‘ 
‘ „‘

 ‘

‘
‘ „‘ 
 ‘

‘

‘
‘

 ‘

‘ ‘ 
‘


 ‘

‘
 ‘ 
‘ 

 ‘

‘  ‘ 
‘
 ‘

„
‘
 ‘ „

‘ 

 ‘

„„‘ 
‘

‘
„ ‘

‘
‘
„‘

 ‘
‘
„‘ 

 ‘
‘
 ‘‘‘‘ ‘‘‘‘‘‘ ‘
‘‘‘‘
!‘‘

‘‘ ‘ !‘ ‘ ‘
"‘ ‘‘‘ ‘‘‘‘
#‘ ‘ ‘‘ ‘" ‘‘

Mainly according to Old English texts ordinal numerals were used with the demonstrative
pronoun
 before them. This is where the definite article in  

comes from. To
say "the 22nd", for example, you should combine the following: eit her Ô 

Ô  

(two
and twentieth), or 

Ô  Ô  (second with twenty). So the order is different from the
modern English, but instead closer to Modern German where "the 22nd" sounds like  


 (two and twenty).
 a "   #        !  
  "   $  $  
 %      $  && 
 " &&   
 '
!  (  #     #"
         ! $
) *
 #+

Note: "Gmc." = "Germanic"

"*" = unattested, reconstructed
# Indogermanic Proto-Gmc. Gothic Old English Old Norse
1 *oinos *ainaz ains ân einn, ein, eitt
2 *d(u)wôw *twôu twai twœyen (twâ, tû) tveir (tvær, tvau)
3 *treyes *þrejiz þreis þrîe (þrîo, þrîo) þrîr (þrjâr, þrjû)
4 *kwetwôres *fedwôr(iz) fidwor fêower fjôrir (fjôrar, fjogur)
5 *penkwe *femfi fimf fîf fimm
6 *s(w)eks *sehs saíhs siex sex
7 *septm > *sepunt *sebun(þ) sibun siofun sjau
8 *oktôw *ahtôu ahtau eahta átta
9 *newn > *newunt *newun(þ) niun nigun níu
10 *dekmt > *dekunt *tehun(þ) taíhun tîen(e) tíu
11 *oin- + *likw- *ain-lif ainlif endleofan ellifu
12 *dwôw + *likw- *twôu-lif twalif twelf tólf
13 *þreji-tehun(þ) *þreitaíhun þrîetîene þrettán
14 *fedwôr-tehun(þ) fidwortaíhun fêowertîene fjórtán
15 *femf-tehun(þ) fimftaíhun fîftîene fimmtán
16 *sehs-tehun(þ) *saíhstaíhun siextîene sextán
17 *sebun-tehun(þ) *sibuntaíhun siofuntîene sjaután
18 *ahtôu-tehun(þ) *ahtautaíhun eahtatîene átán
19 *newunþ-tehun(þ) *niuntaíhun niguntîene nítján

Indogermanic forms of the decades 20-90 were based on the unit number (1-9) plus a
variant (d)komt- of the word for "10" (*dekmt):

Early Developments: Indogermanic to Proto-Germanic ("*" alone means "was lost")

West Germanic
Early Proto- Late Proto-
# Indogermanic Pre-Gothic (Pre-
Germanic Germanic
Old -igh German)
20 *wîkmt *wî-hund * * *
(*wî- < *dwî- "2")
30 *tríkomt *þrí-hand * * *
40 *kwetwrkomt *fedwur-hand * * *
 50 *penkwêkomt *fimfê-hand *fimfê-hund * *
60 *s(w)ekskomt *sehs-kand *sehsê-hund * *
70 *septmkomt *seftun-hand *sebuntê-hund *sibun=têhund *sebun=tô(hund)
80 *oktôkomt *ahtô-hand *ahtô-hund *ahtô=têhund *ahtô(hund)
90 *newnkomt *newun-hand *ne(w)un-hund *niun=têhund *niun=tô(hund)
100 *(d)kmtóm *hundan *hund *tehunþ=têhund *hund-tehunþ-tiy

Later Developments: Proto-Germanic to Gothic, Old English and Old Norse

(Note: The Proto-Germanic plural of *tehun "10" is *tigus "10s.")

20 through 60:

# Indogermanic Proto-Germanic Gothic Old English Old Norse

20 *dwôw + *dekús *twôu *tigus twai tigjus twœn-tiy tuttugu

30 *treyes + *dekús *þrejiz *tigus þreis tigjus þrî-tiy þrír tigir

40 '4' + *dekús *fedwôr *tigus fidwor tigjus fêower-tiy fjórir tigir

50 '5' + *dekús *femfi *tigus fimf tigjus fîf-tiy fimm tigir

60 '6' + *dekús *sehs *tigus saíhs tigjus siex-tiy sex tigir

70 through 90 with different pattern -levelings:

# Proto-Germanic Gothic Old English Old Norse

70 *sibun=têhund sibun=têhund hund-siofun-tiy sjau tigir

80 *ahtô=têhund ahtau=têhund hund-eahta-tiy átta tigir

90 niun=têhund niun=têhund hund-nigun-tiy níu tigir

100:

# Indogermanic Proto-Germanic Gothic Old English Old Norse

100 *dekmkómt *hundan "120" taíhun=têhund (once) hund tíu tigir
> *(d)kmkóm(t) taíhun=taíhund (3x) hund-red tí-rætt hund-rað
> *kmkóm hund-têon-tiy (pl.: hund-ruð)
> *kmtóm
110 ellifu-tigir
120 *hundan "120" *hund hund-twelf-tiy tólf-rɠtt hund-rað
200 twa hunda twa hund, hund-rað ok
tu hund átta tigir
(= 120 + 80)
240 tvau hund-ruð
300 þrija hunda þrîe-hund
360 þrjú hund-ruð
400 fidwor hunda fêower-hund
480 fjogur hund-ruð
500 fimf hunda fîf-hund
600 fimm hund-ruð
600 saíhs hunda siex-hund
720 sex hund-ruð
700 sibun hunda siofun-hund
840 sjau hund-ruð
800 ahtau hunda eahta-hund
960 átta hund-ruð
900 niun hunda nigun-hund
1,080 níu hund-ruð
1,200 tíu hund-ruð
1,320 ellifu hund-ruð
Et cetera

1000:

(Proto-Indogermanic *tûs = "strong")

®


 



1000 *tûs-(d)kmtóm *þûs-hundan *þûs-hundi

# Gothic Old English Old Norse

1,000 þûsundi þûsend
1,200 þúsund, þús-hund, þús-hund-rað
2,000 twos þûsundjos twa þûsend
2,400 tvɠr þûsundir
3,000 þreis þûsundjos þrîe þûsend
3,600 þrjár þûsundir
 4,000 fidwor þûsundjos fêower-þûsend
4,800 fjórar þûsundir
5,000 fimf þûsundjos fîf-þûsend
6,000 fimm þûsundir, fimtán tigir hundruð
6,000 saíhs þûsundjos siex-þûsend
7,200 sex þûsundir
7,000 sibun þûsundjos siofun-þûsend
8,400 sjáu þûsundir
8,000 ahtau þûsundjos eahta-þûsend
9,600 átta þûsundir
9,000 niun þûsundjos nigun-þûsend
10,800 níu þûsundir
10,000 taíhun þûsundjos têon-þûsend
12,000 tíu þûsundir
20,000 twai tigjus þûsundjo twœn-tiy þûsend
24,000 tuttugu þûsundir
Et cetera.

Note: In the Germanic numeric vocabulary, there are three separate numbering
systems:

1.‘ The dominant one is, as in all Indogermanic languages, the decimal system,
based on 10.
2.‘ In addition, the Babylonian-Assyrian duodecimal system, based on 12, 60 and
120, appears in the pattern changes following the terms for "12" and "60," and
in the absence of a simple word for the decimal "100." This resulted from the
long contact of the Goths with the neighboring Sassanid Persians in the early
centuries of our era (very roughly, 150 -375 C.E.).
3.‘ Finally, the old "dual" form of the numeral for "8" (Gothic "ahtau "), as well as
the etymology of this word (the Proto-Indogermanic root "*ok-" means "point,
tip") indicates an apparently very primitive method of counting on one's
fingertips (without the thumb).

Although most of us do not realize it, the numbering system we use is actually rather
recent ± less than a thousand years old. The ancients used letters for numbers. The
Romans, as you probably already know, used the letters I, V, X, L, C and M in
various arrangements and configurations. The Goths, who developed their own
alphabet from a mixture of runes and Greek letters around 350 C.E., used the Greek
alphanumeric system as the pattern for their own. It was:
Alphabetic Numeric
Note
Character Value
A 1 ahsa "axis, axle"
B 2 bairkan "birch seedling"
G 3 giba "giving; that which is given,
gift, present"
D 4 dags "day"
E 5 aíhvs "horse"
Q 6 qaírþra "lure, bait, decoy"
Z 7 azêti "ease, comfort,
pleasureableness"
- 8 hagl "hail"
Þ 9 þiuþ "(the) good, something good."
The Gothic letter ³thorn´ was
written like the Greek ³psi´, —, not
runic þ
I 10 eis "ice"
K 20 kusma "boil, tumefaction, infected
swelling"
L 30 lagus "lake, sea, open water, ocean"
M 40 manna "man, human being"
N 50 nauþs "necessitation, compulsion,
force, constraint; duress"
J 60 jêr "year." Written something like
³G,´ but pronounced as English ³y´
in ³year´ or the ³K´ in ³OK´ when
slurred as ³Ogay.´
U 70 ûrus "urus, aurochs,"  ÷
!
" u
P 80 paírþra "dice cup, dice box, cup for
throwing dice"
i 90 Koppa; used only as a number,
never as a letter
R 100 raida "ride, journey; riding vehicle,
wagon"
S 200 sáuïl sun
T 300 Teiws "Tew, Tyr, Tiu or Ziu,"
before Wodan's time, the highest
divinity, the one-armed god of the
sky and war (and god of "Tue's
day"); = Roman ©
.
W 400 winja "pasture, grazing meadow."
Written like a capital ³Y´
F 500 faíhu "movable goods,
chattels; property,
possessions; wealth, riches; money"
X 600 Iggws [#
 $%
]
 "Ingw," a Germanic demigod,
myhical progenitor of the Anglo-
Frisian Ingwaeones
-v 700 hvaír "cauldron." Written like the
Greek ³theta,´ â
O 800 ôþal "patrimony, ancestral
inheritance"
† 900 Teiws "Tew" The ] $! Teiws or
Tyr (see "T," above); written as an
upward-pointing arrow. Not used
as a letter.

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