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numbers with sg. nouns = pl. meaning



All of these example sentences are translated from the Latejami dictionary.  The Saweli dictionary at yahoogroups doesn't have example sentences yet.
These sentences show that one can use numbers with unmarked (i.e., singular) nouns to show plurality.  

Vafob yaras heses zidrenwuk zok = I wanted three specific cars.
Wokrob no'ukros zidrak zok vig mexrosu nuvebas zidrek zok = One library shelf supported three encyclopedias.
Wokrob pumas zidrek zoflec zok nugrus vig tu'ajandos = Only three pins supported the victory painting.
Yenveb yaras sesabas rifaxis zok mevebas = I spent several years studying linguistics at the university.
Yenveb re{John}sa sesabes zidrak zok zer sesas zidrok zok teprod wod mezas = John spent one month and seven days working at the bank.
Yen vokonwup nekes sekros zidladridak zuboc zok tunjed nekros yarik = The thermometer weighs less than fifty grams with this scale.
Yen xufap res vatak zibek zok womlod mes yastik = There are a lot of frightened people in that building.
Yen xufap cas zibek zok tikod wokod memres = There are a lot of birds flying above the tower.
Yen xufap mes zibok zoflec zok womed mutikis = There are only a few buildings along the canal.
Yen xufap hes zidek zok womlod mases = There are two vehicles in the garage.
Yen zanwab keplabes bises xeplak zidladrodrik zok = The island has seventy-five wild horses.
Yen yastop mumes zonjud yen vafob res zibek zok tisengep wonzud kames = The road is there because a lot of people want to go to the river.
Yen vomenwup no'uzas womlog mesras semes ziduk zok = The counter in the hotel is eight meters long.
Yen vomenwup matis wotig makes zer masos semes zidik zok = The hallway between the kitchen and the dining room is four meters long.
Yen vomlonwup pas yarik semlos ziduk zok vig lakresu vuhok = This container holds eight liters of tasty ice cream.
Vozanwup seplas zidik vig keprasu sezas zidok zoflec zok = The four hectares of wasteland cost only six dollars.
We'afruzav yaras sezas zidruk zoflec zok zonjed nusres yarik = I paid only nine dollars for this antique.
Xufap res zidrek zok womlod heses = There were three people in the car.
Xufap res zidrek womlod heses = The three people were in the car.
Xufap rehyekis ve'usok zidrik zok wo'amlod mesos = There were five hungry sailors outside the restaurant.
Xufap hedes xusik zidik zok womlod mases = There were four bicycles in working order in the garage.
Yuben tu'atof yasas pimes zok wotid mesi zidek = You should have built a fence between the two buildings.
Yongan yen xufap womlob res zidrek heses = Is it true that the three people were in the car?
Yongan zanwab yasas bepos zidrek zok = Did you have three cats?
Vosrenwup binis zag vehab yaras inis wo'abod mitobos sesabas zidrik zogac zok = The deer that I saw near the village was approximately five years old.

There is also this one example of a plural noun with a number:

Yuben tu'atof yasas pimes zok wotid mesi zidek = You should have built a fence between the two buildings.

In any case, the Saweli rule is that when numbers are used with nouns, the noun is singular.  So the previous example should have "wotid mes zidek".

stevo