Counting in Láadan

Enter a number and get it written in full in Láadan.

Language overview

Láadan is a constructed language created in 1982 by the American linguist and science fiction novelist Suzette Haden Elgin in her series Native Tongue. Doubly-created as we may say, as Láadan is invented by a group of feminist linguists in her dystopic world in order to communicate with aliens. Beyond its central aspect in the books plot, it has been designed as a female language aimed at expressing feminine perceptions. Among its specific traits, one can express in an unambiguous way how one feels about what she is saying. Laadan is a true thought experiment to understand what would a female language look like, and if it would be acknowledged by women, and particularly by feminists.

Láadan numbering rules

  • Digits from one to nine are rendered by specific words, namely nede [1], shin [2], boó [3], bim [4], shan [5], bath [6], um [7], nib [8], and bud [9].
  • Numbers from eleven to nineteen are formed by suffixing the unit with the word for ten (thab), and adding the letter e if the digit name of the unit ends with a consonant: nedethab [11], shinethab [12], boóthab [13], bimethab [14], shanethab [15], bathethab [16], umethab [17], nibethab [18], and budethab [19].
  • Tens are formed by prefixing the multiplier digit with the word for ten (thab), except for ten itself, and adding the letter e if the multiplier name starts with a consonant: thab [10], thabeshin [20], thabebóo [30], thabebim [40], thabeshan [50], thabebath [60], thabum [70], thabenib [80], and thabebud [90].
  • Hundreds are formed by prefixing the multiplier digit with the word for hundred (debe), except for one hundred itself, and deleting the final e of debe before a vowel: debe [100], debeshin [200], debebóo [300], debebim [400], debeshan [500], debebath [600], debum [700], debenib [800], and debebud [900].
  • Thousands are formed by prefixing the multiplier digit with the word for thousand (thob), except for one thousand itself, and adding the letter e if the multiplier name starts with a consonant: thob [1,000], thobeshin [2,000], thobebóo [3,000], thobebim [4,000], thobeshan [5,000], thobebath [6,000], thobum [7,000], thobenib [8,000], and thobebud [9 000].
  • Compound numbers are formed by using the conjunction i (and) to link tens and units, hundreds and tens, thousands and hundreds, that is to say the numbers of each rank (e.g.: thabebath i nede [61], debeshan i thabebath i boó [563], thobenib i debebim i umethab [8,417]).
  • Millions are formed the same way as thousands, based on the word for million (rod): rod [one million], rodeshin [two million], rodebóo [three million]…
  • Billions are formed the same way as thousands, based on the word for billion (merod, formed on the plural marker me- and rod, million): merod [one billion], merodeshin [two billion], merodebóo [three billion]…

Books

Native TongueNative Tongue
by , editors The Feminist Press (2000)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

A First Dictionary and Grammar of LáadanA First Dictionary and Grammar of Láadan
by , editors Society for the Furtherance & Study of Fantas (1988)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

Numbers list

1 – nede
2 – shin
3 – boó
4 – bim
5 – shan
6 – bath
7 – um
8 – nib
9 – bud
10 – thab
11 – nedethab
12 – shinethab
13 – boóthab
14 – bimethab
15 – shanethab
16 – bathethab
17 – umethab
18 – nibethab
19 – budethab
20 – thabeshin
30 – thabebóo
40 – thabebim
50 – thabeshan
60 – thabebath
70 – thabum
80 – thabenib
90 – thabebud
100 – debe
1,000 – thob
one million – rod
one billion – merod

Other universes languages

Barsoomian, Dothraki, D’ni, Giak, Hylian, Láadan, Na’vi, and Wardwesân.

Other supported languages

Supported languages by families
As the other currently supported languages are too numerous to list extensively here, please select a language from the following select box, or from the full list of supported languages.