Goal: Create basic cardinal numbers
Note: Focus on creating basic roots only, saving compound forms for tomorrow.
Tip: Some numbers may evolve from nouns (e.g. “hand” for “five”).
Work focus: Create/Make/List
Today’s goal is to create the basic cardinal numbers you need for your counting system. Focus on only the basic roots for now, the numbers that are single forms without any derivations or compounds. Often, the unique number roots is equivalent to the number base (plus a potential extra word for “zero,” if your language has one).
For instance, if you have a base-ten system, you will likely create forms for the numbers 1-10. Other forms beyond that are more likely to be compounded or derived. This doesn’t have to be the case—for instance, you could create a complex form for “nine” that effectively means “one from ten.”
By the end of your work today, you should have a set of basic roots to work with for your number system.