Counting in Belter Creole

Language overview

Forty-two in Belter Creole Belter Creole (lang Belta) is the language spoken by the Belters, the inhabitants of the asteroid belt, in the world of The Expanse, a series of science fiction novels by James S. A. Corey, the joint pen name of authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, which has been adapted as a TV series by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby for the SyFy channel and Amazon Prime. In this universe, the people working in the asteroid belt originating from Earth and Mars developed a creole language from German, Chinese, Romance languages, Hindi, Slavic, and Bantu. The lang Belta has been created by the linguist Nick Farmer for the TV series.

Due to lack of data, we can only count accurately up to 999 in Belter Creole. Please contact me if you can help me counting up from that limit.

Belter Creole numbers list

  • 1 – wang
  • 2 – tu
  • 3 – serí
  • 4 – fu
  • 5 – faf
  • 6 – sikesh
  • 7 – seng
  • 8 – et
  • 9 – nang
  • 10 – teng
  • 11 – wang-un-teng
  • 12 – tu-un-teng
  • 13 – serí-un-teng
  • 14 – fu-un-teng
  • 15 – faf-un-teng
  • 16 – sikesh-un-teng
  • 17 – seng-un-teng
  • 18 – et-un-teng
  • 19 – nang-un-teng
  • 20 – tuteng
  • 30 – seriteng
  • 40 – futeng
  • 50 – fáveteng
  • 60 – síkeseteng
  • 70 – séngeteng
  • 80 – éteteng
  • 90 – nángeteng
  • 100 – xanya

Belter Creole 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).

  • Digits from one to nine are rendered by specific words: wang [1], tu [2], serí [3], fu [4], faf [5], sikesh [6], seng [7], et [8], and nang [9].
  • Tens are formed prefixing the word for ten (teng) by the mutliplier digit, except for ten itself: teng [10], tuteng [20], seriteng [30], futeng [40], fáveteng [50], síkeseteng [60], séngeteng [70], éteteng [80], and nángeteng [90].
  • Compound numbers are formed starting with the unit, then the coordinator un linked with hypens, and the ten (e.g.: tu-un-seriteng [32], et-un-séngeteng [78]).
  • Hundreds are formed prefixing the word for hundred (xanya) with its multiplier, except for one hundred: xanya [100], túxanya [200], seríxanya [300], fúxanya [400], fávexanya [500], síkesexanya [600], séngexanya [700], étexanya [800], and nángexanya [900].

Write a number in full in Belter Creole

Let’s move now to the practice of the numbering rules in Belter Creole. 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

Leviathan Wakes Leviathan Wakes
by , editors Orbit (2011)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com, Kindle - Amazon.com Kindle - Amazon.com]

El despertar del Leviatán El despertar del Leviatán
by , editors Nova (2017)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com, Kindle - Amazon.com Kindle - Amazon.com]

L’éveil du Léviathan L’éveil du Léviathan
by , editors Actes Sud (2015)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com, Kindle - Amazon.com Kindle - Amazon.com]

Leviatã desperta Leviatã desperta
by , editors ALEPH (2017)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

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.