That some of these forms are no true inflexions, but appended prepositions; is speedily stated in the text. If so, it is probable that, in another author or in a different dialect, the number of cases will vary. At any rate, the agglutinate character of the language is indicated. The numerals are—
| CARDINAL. | ORDINAL. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | cha | duihre. |
| 2. | ṡi | silǵe. |
| 3. | x̣o | x̣alǵe. |
| 4. | ahew | dhewloǵe. |
| 5. | ṗxi | pxilǵe. |
| 6. | jeṫx | jeixloǵe. |
| 7. | worl | worloǵe. |
| 8. | barl | barloġe. |
| 9. | iss | issloġe. |
| 10. | itt | ittloġe. |
| 11. | cha-itt | cha-ittloġe. |
| 12. | si-itt | si-ittloġe. |
| 19. | tqeexç | iqeex̣cloġe. |
| 20. | tqa | tqalġe. |
This as a word the author connects with the word tqo=also, overagain (auch, wiederum), as if it were 10 doubled, which it most likely is. In like manner tqeexç is one from twenty=undeviginti:—
| 100 = | ṗxauztqa = 5 × 20. |
| 200 = | içatatq = 10 × 20. |
| 300 = | ṗxiiæatq = 12 × 20. |
| 400 = | tqauziq = 20 × 20. |
| 500 = | tqauziġ ṗxauztqa = 20 × 20 + 100. |
| 1000 = | sac tqauziqa icaiqa = 2 × 400 + 200. |
The commonest signs of the plural number are -i and -si, the latter=is in Tshetshents. The suffixes -ne and -bi, the latter of which is found in Lesgian, is stated to be Georgian in origin. No reason, however, against its being native is given.
In verbs, the simplest form is (as usual) the imperative. Add to this -a, and you have the infinitive. The sign of the conditional is ḥe or ḥ; that of the conjunctive ḷe or ḷ.
The tenses are—
(1.) Present, formed by adding -a or -u to the root: i. e. to the imperative form, and changing the vowel.
(2.) Imperfect, by adding -r to the present.