Formation of ordinal numerals (Surgut Khanty)

Oth~FTthThth: Each ordinal numeral is derived, through the same pattern, from the root of the corresponding cardinal numeral, with the exception of the numeral ‘first,’ for which both a derived and suppletive form exists. This is also known as the “first/oneth, twoth, threeth” type.


(1) əj ’one’, kāt~kīt ’two’, qōʌəm ’three’


(2a) ɔ̄ʌəŋ-mət, əj-mət ‘first’


(2b) kīmət-mət, kīm-mət, kīt-mət ‘second’


(2c) qūʌ-mət, qōʌəm-mət-mət, qōʌəm-mət ‘third’


(2d) qōs-mət, qōsəm-mət ’twentieth’


(3) əj ťoras-əŋ-mət

one thousand-adj-ord

‘thousand’


In Surgut Khanty, the derivational suffix -mət is used to create ordinal numerals, and the suffix can be attached to cardinal numerals in various ways (2b, c, d). The Surgut Khanty numeral meaning ‘first’ has a regular (dependent) and a suppletive (independent) form (2a). The -mət suffix is attached to an adjectival suffix in the case of bigger round numerals (1 000, 1 000 000 etc.) (3).

Author: 

Márta Csepregi