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:

goutsak

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"):


  • wagulhat goutsak "one pepperwood (California bay) tree":


rridak

Examples:

  • rridak tsabe "two arrows" (speaker unknown, in Curtin's (1889) field notes; no audio)
  • rridak lhvetgulouwulh "two pitchforks" (speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • rri'dak ha'ruch "two snakes" (in Teeter & Nichols (1993), from the story of "Snake"):


rrikak
Examples:
  • rrikak  "three long things" (speaker: Amos Riley, in Harrington's (1926) field notes; no audio)
  • rrikak "middle (third) finger" (speaker: Jane Duncan Searson, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • rrikak "three fish" (speaker: Della Prince, in Teeter & Nichols (1993); no audio)
  • rrikak tsabe "three arrows" (speaker unknown, in Curtin's (1889) field notes; no audio)
  • rrikak lhvetgulouwulh "three pitchforks" (speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • dutwaghulh rrikak "three harpoons":


rrawak
Examples:
  • rrawak "four long things" (speaker: Amos Riley, in Harrington's (1926) field notes; no audio)
  • rrawak lhvetgulouwulh "four pitchforks" (speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • dutwaghulh rrawak "four harpoons":


Counting roundish things (rocks, etc.) with the -utk classifier:

Examples:
  • yaw goutsutk ("one eel basket"):
  • goutk wuladitk "one peach" (goutsutk is usually shortened to goutk; speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • plhet goutk "one rock" (in this example plhetk / phlutk "rock" is shortened to plhet):
  • wupdu'l goutk "(his/her) one tooth":
Examples:
  • yaw rri'dutk "two eel baskets":


  • rridutk wuladitk "two peaches" (speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • plhetk rridutk "two rocks":


Examples:
  • yaw rrikutk "three eel baskets":


  • rrikutk wuladitk "three peaches" (speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • plhetk rrikutk "three rocks":


Examples:
  • rrawutk wuladitk  "four peaches" (speaker: Jerry James, in Reichard's (1922) field notes; no audio)
  • plhetk rrawutk "four rocks":