Wir Ain Leed

Numbers

  1. The cardinal and ordinal adjectives are:

    Cardinal Ordinal
    ae / ane one first first
    twa two seicont second
    three three thrid third
    fower four fowert fourth
    five five fift fifth
    sax six saxt sixth
    seiven seven seivent seventh
    aicht eight aicht eighth
    nine nine nint ninth
    ten ten tent tenth
    eleiven eleven eleivent eleventh
    twal twelve twalt twelfth
    thirteen, thriteen thirteen thirteen, thriteent thirteenth
    fowerteen fourteen fowerteent fowerteenth
    fifteen fifteen fifteent fifteenth
    ...   ...  
    twinty twenty twintiet twentieth
    twinty-ane* twenty-one twinty-first twenty-first
    twinty-twa twenty-two twinty-seicont twenty-second
    ...   ...  
    thirty, thretty thirteen thirtiet, threttiet thirtieth
    fowerty forty fowertiet fourtieth
    ...   ...  
    hunder hundred hundert hundredth
    thoosand thousand thoosandt thousandth
    million million milliont millionth
    * Usage used to be ane an twinty, twa an twinty etc.
    The Twa Tams, Perth

    Occasionaly the cardinal is used for the ordinal.

    The seiventeen September.
    The seventeenth of September.

    We will read the aichteen chaipter, fowerteen an fifteen verses.
    We shall read the eighteenth chapter, fourteenth and fifteenth verses.

    Ae also means the only or single 'one' and is used before nouns. Wan, a form of ane, also occurs. Wan may be used in place of ae or ane but ae and ane are not interchangeable.

    The ae body that cam til the pairty.
    The only person who came to the party.
    Ae day we'll hae a vacance.
    One day we'll have a holiday.
    A wis juist wantin the ae nummer for tae win the bingo.
    I only needed one number in order to win the bingo.

    The abbreviated forms of the ordinal adjectives are:

    1st, 2nt, 3rd or 3d, 4t. etc.
    1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc.

  2. Numerals can be used in the plural to signify groups.

    anes
    ones
    twas
    twos
    threes
    threes
    fowers
    fours
    fives
    fives
    saxes
    sixes
    seivens
    sevens
    aichts
    eights...

  3. Multiples are:

    single single dooble double treeple treble, triple three-ply etc. triple, threefold etc.

  4. Groups of people arranged by number in games or activities are denoted by suffixing some.

    twasome, threesome, fowersome, aichtsome.

    A twasome at the glessy bouls.
    Two people playing marbles.
    A threesome at the gowf.
    Three people playing golf.
    Will we dance the aichtsome-reel?
    Shall we dance the eightsome-reel?
    Hou aboot a fowersome at the cairts?
    How about four of us playing cards?

  5. Fractions are:

    hauf half
    third or thrid third
    fowert or quarter quarter...

    continuing the same as the ordinal adjectives.

  6. Other expressions involving numbers are:

    twafauld bentover
    folded double
    twa-three a few
    twal-oors midday meal
    (denner)
    the tane* the one
    fower-oors afternoon meal
    (tea)
       
    * the tae before nouns.

    He wis twafauld frae eild.
    He was bent double with age.
    Twa-three pals is comin roond.
    A few friends are coming round.
    Come hame for yer twal-oors.
    Come home for dinner.
    Daena forget an be hame by fower-oors.
    Don't forget to be home for tea.
    It's aither the tane or the tither.
    It's either one or the other.

  7. Telling the time.

    Time is divided into.

    seicont(s) second(s)
    meenit(s) minute(s)
    oor(s) hour(s)

    Directly after cardinal numbers, nouns of measure, usually remain unchanged in the plural.

    He coud rin a hunder yaird in fowerteen seicont.
    He was able to run a hundred yards in fourteen seconds.
    It teuk him eleiven meenit for tae rin twa mile.
    It took him eleven minutes to run two miles.
    A'v been waitin on her twa oor the nou.
    I've now been waiting for her for two hours.
    Daena fash, we'll win tae in guid oor.
    Don't worry, we'll get there in good time.
    A s' bide a wee meenit langer.
    I'll stay a little longer.
    The kirk bell jowes oorly.
    The church bell rings hourly.
    She shoud be here at the meenit.
    She sould be here straight away.
    A telt ye tae be here on the meenit heid.
    I told you to be here on the dot. (punctually)
    Ye'v been haiverin for oors an oors.
    You've been waffling for hours and hours.

    It used to be standard practice in Scots to reckon the half-hour before the next hour, this has largely been replaced by the Standard English practice of reckoning the half-hour after the hour. No doubt through media and educational pressure. A full hour is called a stricken-oor.

    Whit's the time?
    What time is it?

    Possible answers are:

    Twa oors.
    Two o'clock.
    Sax oors.
    Six o'clock.
    Ane oors.
    One o'clock.
    Hauf-aicht.
    Half-past seven.
    Hauf-ane.
    Half-past twelve.
    Three on the knock.
    Three o'clock.
    Risin twal.
    Approaching twelve.
    Twa meenit afore twal.
    Two minutes to twelve.
    Twinty til fower.
    Twenty to four.
    A quarter til three.
    Quarter to three.
    'Gin ten oors.
    Before ten o'clock.
    The back o five.
    Shortly after five.
    Ten efter seiven.
    Ten past seven.
    Twinty frae sax.
    Twenty to six.

    Other expressions connected with times of the day are:

    dayligaun dusk midnicht midnight
    e'enin evening morn morning
    efternuin afternoon nuin noon
    forenicht evening sindoun sunset
    forenuin morning twal-oors midday
    gloamin just after sunset wee-oors early morning
    keek o day crack of dawn screich o day crack of dawn

    The paitricks wis screichin lood at e'en.
    The partridges were screeching loudly in the evening.
    The muin gied us licht thon mirk Seturday e'en.
    The moon gave us light that dark Saturday evening.
    The mornin an forenuin wis awa cantie like.
    The (early and late) morning passed pleasantly.
    The morn we're gaun tae hae a forenicht thegither.
    Tomorrow we are going to have a get-together in the evening.
    The freenge o the lift's reid in the late gloamin.
    The fringe of the sky is red in the late twilight.
    A wis up oot ma bed for tae wirk at the keek o day.
    I was up and out of my bed in order to work at the crack of dawn.
    A hae a tryst at the keek o nuin.
    I have an appointment at mid-day.
    The nicht afore the morn A wis set on wi a dug.
    Last night I was attacked by a dog.

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