Counting in Wiyot: Numbers 1-4 with classifiers for special categories
When counting certain types of objects, surfaces, units of time, and other concepts, Wiyot uses classifiers, which are special endings attached to stems.
For the numbers 1-4, the ending -urr in the general count (goutsurr, rri'durr, rrikurr, rriya'wurr) is replaced with one of several classifiers that indicate the shape, texture, size, etc. of an object, or some other concept such as a unit of time. For the number four, the stem rriya'w changes to rraw or rram when a classifier is added.
NOTE: All audio on this page is spoken by Della Prince unless otherwise indicated.
Counting long things (trees, snakes, fingers, etc.) with the -ak classifier:
Examples:
goutsak tsabe "one arrow" (speaker unknown, in Curtin's (1889) field notes; no audio)
goutsak lhvetgulouwulh "one pitchfork" (speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
wana goutsak "one tree" (wana is short for wanaqh "tree"):