Datapoint Cape Verdean Creole of Santiago/Ordinal numerals

The Portuguese ordinal numbers from 1 to 10 (apart from 9) are used in Creole with phonetically adapted forms. Actually, only the first five are generally used. From 6 onwards it is common to use the cardinal numbers instead, sometimes the kel di séti ‘the seventh’, kel di oitu ‘the eighth’, kel di nóvi ‘the ninth’ construction. From 'ten' upwards cardinal numbers must be used.
Already in Portuguese, the etymological relationship between the ordinal numbers up to 'ten' and the corresponding cardinal numbers is not transparent any longer.

Values

All ordinal numerals are suppletive

Example 30-76:
Pedru ê nha purmeru fidju mátxu.
Pedru
Pedru
ê
be
nha=purmeru
my=first
fidju
son
mátxu.
male
Pedru is my first-born son.

Source: Brüser et al. 2002: s.v. primeru

Example 30-77:
Txiga nóvi mes mininu ragátxa nega nase.
Txiga
arrive
nóvi
nine
mes
month
mininu
child
ragátxa
be.stubborn
nega
refuse
nase.
be.born
When the ninth month had arrived, the child completely refused to be born.
German: Als der neunte Monat kam, weigerte sich das Kind rundweg, auf die Welt zu kommen.

Source: Brüser et al. 2002: s.v. ragátxa

Example 30-78:
Es ta fla ma si bu ten sais fidju, ma kel di séti, ma ta da lobuzómi.
Es=ta=fla
3pl=ipfv=say
ma=si=bu=ten
comp=if=2sg=have
sais
six
fidju,
child
ma=kel=di=séti,
comp=dem.sg=of=seven
ma=ta=da
comp=ipfv=give
lobuzómi.
werewolf
They say that if you have (already) six children, the seventh will be a werewolf.
German: Man sagt, dass, wenn man schon sechs Kinder hat, das siebte ein Werwolf wird.

Source: Brüser et al. 2002: s.v. lobuzómi

Confidence:
Intermediate