Learning objectives
By the end of this set, you will be able to
1. identify patterns in the song «Үжелээн бис, дөртелээн бис»
2. count from 1 to 100 in Tuvan, and more if you want to
3. interpret the meaning of the song «Үжелээн бис, дөртелээн бис»
4. create short sentences using numerals
Part 1. Noticing patterns
Listen to the recording of the song, read the original and translation below and identify patterns with numerals. The numerals are highlighted in bold print. Notice where the numerals are occurring in the song and how they change from verse to verse. Write down your reflections on a piece of paper.
Huun Huur Tu is a legendary throat singing band. The current recording of the folk song «Үжелээн бис, дөртелээн бис» is from their album Ancestors’ call (2010). The band’s version of the song became the theme music of the Siberian folk festival Mir Sibiri.
Үжелээн бис, дөртелээн бис
Үжен кижи шинчилиг бис
Үжен кижи ол-даа канчаар (x2)
Үш-ле биске кайыын чедер (x2)
Дөртелээн бис, бежелээн бис
Дөртен кижи шинчилиг бис
Дөртен кижи ол-даа канчаар (x2)
Дөрт-ле биске кайыын чедер (x2)
Бежелээн бис, алдалаан бис
Бежен кижи шинчилиг бис
Бежен кижи ол-даа канчаар (x2)
Беш-ле биске кайыын чедер (x2)
Алдалаан бис, чеделээн бис
Алдан кижи шинчилиг бис
Алдан кижи ол-даа канчаар (x2)
Алды биске кайыын чедер (x2)
Үжелээн бис, дөртелээн бис
Үжен кижи шинчилиг бис
Үжен кижи ол-даа канчаар (x2)
Үш-ле биске кайыын чедер (x2)
Дөртелээн бис, бежелээн бис
Дөртен кижи шинчилиг бис
Дөртен кижи ол-даа канчаар (x2)
Дөрт-ле биске кайыын чедер (x2)
There are three of us, there are four of us
It looks like there are thirty of us
We don’t care for thirty people (x2)
They cannot compete with the three of us (x2)
There are four of us, there are five of us
It looks like there are forty of us
We don’t care for forty people (x2)
They cannot compete with the four of us (x2)
There are five of us, there are six of us
It looks like there are fifty of us
We don’t care for fifty people (x2)
They cannot compete with the five of us (x2)
There are six of us, there are seven of us
It looks like there are sixty of us
We don’t care for sixty people (x2)
They cannot compete with the six of us (x2)
There are three of us, there are four of us
It looks like there are thirty of us
We don’t care for thirty people (x2)
They cannot compete with the three of us (x2)
There are four of us, there are five of us
It looks like there are forty of us
We don’t care for forty people (x2)
They cannot compete with the four of us (x2)
Patterns:
As you might have noticed, all the verses in the song have a parallel structure. Every line begins with a numeral with the same first letter (=head rhyme). In each verse, only the numbers change, while all the other words stay the same. This song uses a lot of numbers (3s and 30s, 4s and 40s, 5s and 50s, 6s and 60s). Since numbers play such a prominent role in this song, we can use the sentences from the song to learn to count in Tuvan.
Please proceed to Part 2 How to count in Tuvan to learn the numerals.