Nitherian Semantics and Pragmatics

Semantic Fields

Numbers

Nitherian uses a base-six numeral system, based on counting on the fingers of one hand and using the other hand to keep track of groups of six. However, the small numbers show clear signs of a previous base-ten system. The numbers up to twelve are:

  • 1: wethm

  • 2: tho

  • 3: vn

  • 4: wnyo

  • 5: oya

  • 6: slezle

  • 7: mthaslo

  • 8: mvnslo

  • 9: veraslo

  • 10: thotlo

  • 11: thotlwethm

  • 12: tlara

The numbers up to thirty-five are built on multiples of twelve; thirteen is tlara-wethm, eighteen is tlara-slezle, twenty-seven is thotlara-vn, thirty-five is thotlara-thotlawethm.

From there, powers of six have names:

  • 36 (\(6^2\)) is thwi, originally “many”

  • 216 (\(6^3\)) is thwerwi, originally a reduplication of “many”

  • 1,296 (\(6^4\)) is thwesaso, “great many”