Numerals in dialects and subdialects of the Even language

Numerals in Tungus-Manchurian studies are still not well researched, although there are some experiments in comparing numerals in the works of foreign and Russian researchers. The aim of this article is to summarize the new material of the Even language numerals, compiled during field studies of the Even dialects in different regions, and extracted from published sources of the 19th – early 20th centuries, which were not used by previous researchers. The examination of the system of numerals for individual dialects and dialects with the involvement of some new materials provides an opportunity to make some corrections and clarifications in the interpretation of the classes of the Even language numerals and enriches the research practice. The article emphasizes that the system of simple numerals and the names of tens are the same for all Even dialects and accents. It reveals five ways of forming composite numerals of the second tens, differently represented in the dialects of the Even language: a simple combination of two numerals, using the words hulek `extra` or oidun` over`, using the name of the word dyan `ten`. The formation of compound numerals from 21 to 99 is universal for almost all dialects of the Even language, the only exception is the dialect of the Evens of Chukotka, used in the village. Keperveem, Bilibino region. In the linguistic materials collected by G. Maydel in the 19th century and in the text of the Gospel of the same period, rather diverse categories of numerals are presented, there are also unusually designed numerals that were not recorded anywhere else. The characterization of numeral classes in Even language s substantially refined and supplemented, demonstrating variation within individual dialects and significant inter-dialectal differences. A special description of the morphology and vocabulary of dialects and dialects should consider in as much detail as possible all the possible variants of the formation of separate semantic divisions of numerals. This could substantially enrich the morphological section of the grammar of the Even language, devoted to numerals as a part of speech.

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