Counting in Illitan
Language overview
The Illitan language has been designed by the British linguist Alison Long, for the BBC’s adaptation of China Miéville’s novel The City and The City broadcast in April 2018. Spoken in the city of Ul Qoma, Illitan is written in the Georgian alphabet, or Mkhedruli.
Due to lack of data, we can only count accurately up to 10 in Illitan. Please contact me if you can help me counting up from that limit.
Illitan numbers list
- 1 – ხაბ (khab)
- 2 – კვოტ (kvot)
- 3 – ტროსტ (trost)
- 4 – ჭედი (fedi)
- 5 – გლილ (glil)
- 6 – გრახ (grakh)
- 7 – მლახ (mlakh)
- 8 – ჰატოკ (hatok)
- 9 – დემატ (demat)
- 10 – დეკატ (dekat)
Illitan numbering rules
Now that you’ve had a gist of the most useful numbers, let’s move to the writing rules for the tens, the compound numbers, and why not the hundreds, the thousands and beyond (if possible).
- Illitan digits from one to nine are: ხაბ (khab) [1], კვოტ (kvot) [2], ტროსტ (trost) [3], ჭედი (fedi) [4], გლილ (glil) [5], გრახ (grakh) [6], მლახ (mlakh) [7], ჰატოკ (hatok) [8], and დემატ (demat) [9].
- The word for ten is დეკატ (dekat) [10].
Write a number in full in Illitan
Let’s move now to the practice of the numbering rules in Illitan. Will you guess how to write a number in full? Enter a number and try to write it down in your head, or maybe on a piece of paper, before displaying the result.
Books
The City & The City
by China Miéville, editors Del Rey (2009)
[ Amazon.com]
La ciudad y la ciudad
by China Miéville, editors Nova (2018)
[ Amazon.com]
A Cidade e A Cidade
by China Miéville, editors Boitempo (2014)
[ Amazon.com]
Articles
Alison Long biography Alison Long, who holds a PhD in Russian language change, have many research interests, including language change, endangered languages and language policy, and language construction. In that field, she’s created the Illitan language for the BBC’s adaptation of China Miéville’s The City and The City. |
Other artistic languages
Aczu Śavnecze, Aramteskan, Arodjun, Atlantean, Atrian, Ayeri, Azazilúŝ, Barsoomian, Bayën, Belter Creole, Brooding, Chakobsa, Dai, Dovahzul, D’ni, Elder Speech, Engála, Epigean, Giak, Gnóma, Grayis, Gryomian, Hiuʦɑθ, Hylian, Illitan, Ithkuil, Itláni, Kala, Kēlen, Kiitra, KiLiKi, Láadan, Mini, Mondir, Na’vi, Neziba, Nìmpyèshiu, Santaa, Shiväisith, Siinyamda, Toki Pona, Tpaalha, Trigedasleng, Tsevhu, Tüchte, Va Ehenív, Valthungian, Verdurian, Wardwesân, and Wóxtjanato.
Other supported languages
As the other currently supported languages are too numerous to list extensively here, please select a language from the full list of supported languages.