Counting in Brooding

Language overview

Forty-two in Brooding Brooding is an artistic language created by Veronica Hamilton (formerly Scott) for the Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company, based on elements developed by the theater’s director Ryan Long. BenJamin P. Johnson took over the development and curatorship of the language in the fall of 2014. The Brooding language is spoken in the land of Harken, at the dawning of the Last Age. It has been featured in Riddlesbrood’s theme song, in two plays, The Dark Side Show in 2012, and Harken – A Game of Phones in 2015, as well as in the 2016 novel Riddlesbrood and the Greatest Brochure in the World. The Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company is based in the New York-New Jersey area.

Brooding numbers list

  • 116 – wen
  • 216 – raich
  • 316 – shlaum
  • 416 – draugen
  • 516 – klaut
  • 616 – khlobed
  • 716 – sken
  • 816 – hoon
  • 916 – saed
  • A16 – thlad
  • B16 – feyeed
  • C16 – mawg
  • D16 – braled
  • E16 – graizeeg
  • F16 – slathlaan
  • 1016 – fluhn
  • 2016 – raichfluhn
  • 3016 – shlaumfluhn
  • 4016 – draugenfluhn
  • 5016 – klautfluhn
  • 6016 – khlobedfluhn
  • 7016 – skenfluhn
  • 8016 – hoonfluhn
  • 9016 – saedfluhn
  • A016 – thladfluhn
  • B016 – feyeedfluhn
  • C016 – mawgfluhn
  • D016 – braledfluhn
  • E016 – graizeegfluhn
  • F016 – slathlaanfluhn
  • 10016 – tegen

The hexadecimal numeral system

Brooding numbers follow a hexadecimal numeral system, aka. a base-16 system. To better understand the hexadecimal numeral system, let’s start with a more familiar one: the decimal system. In the decimal system (or base-10), we have ten digits, from zero to nine. When we add 1 (one) to 9 (nine), we get 10 (ten), or the unit 1 (one) followed by 0 (zero). This system is positional (the digits represent the units, and their rank the matching power of ten). Thus, 132 decomposes in 100 + 30 + 2 = 1*102 + 3 *101 + 2 *100. This system is also known as a positional decimal numeral system.
Hexadecimal uses digits from 0 to 9, and letters from A to F. Its first ten is 15 in decimal (1016 = 1510), the base is noted in subscript. The decomposition of a hexadecimal number (in a positional system) is the same as the one of a decimal number, only the base changes: (1A2)16 = 1*162 + A *161 + 2 *160. If we carry it out, we get the matching decimal number, here 418.

Brooding 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 zero to F are rendered by specific words: zromed [0], wen [1], raich [2], shlaum [3], draugen [4], klaut [5], khlobed [6], sken [7], hoon [8], saed [9], thlad [A] (1010), feyeed [B] (1110), mawg [C] (1210), braled [D] (1310), graizeeg [E] (1410), and slathlaan [F] (1510).
  • Hexadecimal tens are formed starting with the multiplier, directly followed with the word for the hexadecimal ten (fluhn) with no space, except for ten: fluhn [1016/1510], raichfluhn [2016/3210], shlaumfluhn [3016/4810], draugenfluhn [4016/6410], klautfluhn [5016/8010], khlobedfluhn [6016/9610], skenfluhn [7016/11210], hoonfluhn [8016/12810], saedfluhn [9016/14410], thladfluhn [A016/16010], feyeedfluhn [B016/17610], mawgfluhn [C016/19210], braledfluhn [D016/20810], graizeegfluhn [E016/22410], and slathlaanfluhn [F016/24010].
  • Compound numbers are formed starting with the ten, then the unit separated with a space (e.g.: fluhn feyeed [1B16/2710], graizeegfluhn slathlaan [EF16/23910]).
  • Hexadecimal hundreds are formed starting with the multiplier, directly followed with the word for the hexadecimal hundred (tegen) with no space, except for one hundred: tegen [10016/25610], raichtegen [20016/51210], shlaumtegen [30016/76810], draugentegen [40016/1,02410], klautuhtegen [50016/1,28010], khlobedtegen [60016/1,53610], skentegen [70016/1,79210], hoontegen [80016/2,04810], saedtegen [90016/2,30410], thladtegen [A0016/2,56010], feyeedtegen [B0016/2,81610], mawgtegen [C0016/3,07210], braledtegen [D0016/3,32810], graizeegtegen [E0016/3,58410], and slathlaantegen [F0016/3,84010].
  • Hexadecimal thousands are formed starting with the multiplier, directly followed with the word for the hexadecimal thousand (stooraen) with no space, except for one thousand: stooraen [1,00016/4,09610], raichstooraen [2,00016/8,19210], shlaumstooraen [3,00016/12,28810], draugenstooraen [4,00016/16,38410], klautstooraen [5,00016/20,48010], khlobedstooraen [6,00016/24,57610], skenstooraen [7,00016/28,67210], hoonstooraen [8,00016/32,76810], saedstooraen [9,00016/36,86410], thladstooraen [A,00016/40,96010], feyeedstooraen [B,00016/45,05610], mawgstooraen [C,00016/49,15210], braledstooraen [D,00016/53,24810], graizeegstooraen [E,00016/57,34410], and slathlaanstooraen [F,00016/61,44010].
  • Big compound numbers are formed starting with the higher scale number, down to the smaller, separated with a space (e.g.: shlaumtegen draugenfluhn klaut [34516/83710], feyeedstooraen khlobedtegen thladfluhn shlaum [B6A316/46,75510]).

Books

Riddlesbrood Riddlesbrood
by , editors Independently published (2019)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

Sources

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.

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