Counting in Grayis

Language overview

Forty-two in Grayis Grayis is an a priori constructed language designed by the Canadian BenJamin P. Johnson for the board game Pilots of Gallaxia by Infinite Mind Pictures. Grayis is the language of the Grayis Kin, one of six alien races in that universe.

Grayis numbers list

  • 19 – rī
  • 29 – ai
  • 39 – chil
  • 49 – chirri
  • 59 – kilai
  • 69 – aichī
  • 79 – chalayī
  • 89 – nauri
  • 109 – nā
  • 119 – narī
  • 129 – nanai
  • 139 – nachil
  • 149 – nachirri
  • 159 – nakilai
  • 169 – nalaichī
  • 179 – nachalayī
  • 189 – nanāli
  • 209 – ayinnā
  • 309 – chillīkka
  • 409 – chirrinnā
  • 509 – kilinnā
  • 609 – aichinnā
  • 709 – chalainā
  • 809 – naurinnā
  • 1009 – duhkā

The nonal numeral system

Grayis numbers follow a nonal numeral system, aka. a base-9 system. To better understand the nonal 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.
Base-9 uses digits from 0 to 8. Its first ten is nine in decimal (910 = 109), the base is noted in subscript. The decomposition of a nonal number (in a positional system) is the same as the one of a decimal number, only the base changes: (132)9 = 1*92 + 3 *91 + 2 *90. If we carry it out, we get the matching decimal number, here 110.

Grayis 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).

  • While following a nonal numeral system, Grayis numbers also have an inner ternary numeral system we can see through the digits etymology. The digits from one to eight are: rī [1], ai [2], chil [3], chirri [4] (3+1), kilai [5] (3+2), aichī [6] (2*3), chalayī [7] (4*2-1), and nauri [8] (9-1).
  • The tens are formed by setting a form of the multiplier digit before the number nine (which is ten in base nine), except for nine itself: nā [109/910], ayinnā [209/1810], chillīkka [309/2710], chirrinnā [409/3610], kilinnā [509/4510], aichinnā [609/5410], chalainā [709/6310], and naurinnā [809/7210].
  • The nonal numbers from 119 to 189 are formed starting with the word for the nonal ten (nā) with no diacritic, directly followed by the unit with no space: narī [119/1010], nanai [129/1110], nachil [139/1210], nachirri [149/1310], nakilai [159/1410], nalaichī [169/1510], nachalayī [179/1610], and nanāli [189/1710].
  • Compound numbers are formed starting with the ten, then the conjunction ha (and), and the unit (e.g.: ayinnā ha chil [239/2110], chalainā ha kilai [759/6810])
  • The nonal hundred is duhkā [1009/8110].
  • Higher scale numbers are: kaigu [nonal thousand, (109)3/72910 or (8110)3], nakaigu [nonal ten thousand, 10,0009/6,56110 or (310)8], duhkakkaigu [nonal hundred thousand, 100,0009/59,04910 or (310)10], īlim [nonal million, (109)6/531,44110 or (8110)6], jumai [nonal billion, (109)9/387,420,48910 or (8110)9].

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