How to count in Ahtna (Atnakenaege’), a Northern Athabaskan language spoken in the Copper River area of Alaska in the USA.
If any of the numbers are links, you can hear a recording by clicking on them. If you can provide recordings, please contact me.
| Numeral | Cardinal |
|---|---|
| 1 | ts’ełk’ey (C, M) ts’ałk’ey (L) |
| 2 | nadaeggi |
| 3 | taa’i (C, L) taaggi (W) |
| 4 | denc’ih (C, L) denc’ii (M, W) |
| 5 | ‘ałts’eni |
| 6 | gistaani (C, L) |
| 7 | konts’aghi |
| 8 | łk’edenc’ih (C, L) łk’edenc’ii (M, W) |
| 9 | ts’ełk’ey kole (C, L) ketnesi (M) |
| 10 | hwlazaan |
| 11 | ts’ełk’ey uk’edi |
| 12 | nadaeggi uk’edi |
| 13 | taa’i uk’edi |
| 14 | denc’ih uk’edi |
| 15 | ałts’eni uk’edi |
| 16 | gistaani uk’edi |
| 17 | konts’aghi uk’edi |
| 18 | łk’edenc’ih uk’edi |
| 19 | ts’ełk’ey kole uk’edi |
| 20 | naa xundelaayi (C, L, W) naa deztaann (M) ts’iłghatne (C) |
| 21 | naa deztaann ts’ełk’ey (M) ts’iłghatne ts’ełk’ey uk’edi (C, L)* |
| 30 | taa xundelaayi taa deztaann (M) |
| 36 | taa deztaan gistaani (M) |
| 40 | denc’ih xundelaayi denc’ii deztaann (M) |
| 44 | denc’ii xundelaayi denc’ii uk’edi (C, L)* |
| 50 | ałts’eni xundelaayi ałts’eni deztaann (M) |
| 60 | gistaan xundelaayi gistaann deztaan (M) |
| 70 | konts’aghi xundelaayi konts’agha deztaann (M) |
| 80 | łk’edenc’ih xundelaayi łk’edenc’ii deztaann (M) |
| 90 | ts’ełk’ey kole xundelaayi k’etnes deztaan (M) |
| 100 | dghesdlaani (C,W) ggesdlaani (L) |
| 101 | dghesdlaani ts’elk’ey uk’edi |
| 200 | naa ggessdlaani (L) naa dghesdlaani (C, W) naa desdlaan (M) |
| once | ts’iłden |
| twice | naade |
| thrice | taade |
| first | tsoxe |
| last | xandeni |
C = Central dialect
L = Lower dialect
M = Mentasta (also called Upper Ahtna)
W = Western dialect
The root word for four, denc’ih, appears in the word for eight. In Ahtna, the word for eight, łk’edenc’ih, literally means “double-four”.
The root word for one, ts’ełk’ey, appears in the word for nine. In Ahtna, the word for nine, ts’ełk’ey kole, literally means “take away one”, ostensibly from the number ten.
Numbers 11-19 (the teens) are expressed by stating the second digit’s singular pronunciation and adding uk’edi, which means “a one goes before it.” Ex. eleven [11] = ts’ełk’ey (one) [1] + uk’edi (“a one goes before it”).
*) In this case, the word uk’edi means “plus” or “added”.
The numbers 20, 30, 40...90 are expressed similarly to the Hindu-Arabic in so much that it too uses the name for the base digit to express the new concept. This is done in the Central and Lower villages by adding the word xundelaayi to the first digit. For example 30 = 3 (taa) + xundelaayi, which means, “to become bigger”. Thus, the 3 (three) has become bigger (30). Mentasta Village (M) Indians use the word deztaann to do the same thing.
The Ahtna counting system can only express numbers up to 999. There exists no known term for one thousand or greater.
Information provided by Wolfgang Kuhl
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Ahtna | Numbers
Ahtna, Carrier (Dakelh), Chipewyan, Dane-zaa, Deg Xinag, Gwichʼin, Hän, Hupa, Jicarilla, Kaska, Mescalero-Chiricahua, Navajo, Sekani, Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib), Tolowa, Tsuut'ina, Western Apache
Alphabetical index | Language family index
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