Blogging about my old roommate recently has reminded me that the Finnish language has one of the best 1-10s anywhere. Forget your old, tired "un, deux, trois." Finnish has got:
uksi
kaksi
kollme
nailya
viisi
kusi
setseman
kahdeksan (and you gotta really hit that 'h,' 'kaHdeksan')
uhdeksan (ditto)
kumminen
Should you want to say goodnight, like a friendly roommate, it's "Hyvaa yota, kaunita unia." You say that "H'-VAA OO-uh-tah, ka-OO-ni-tah oo-nee-ah." It means "Goodnight, dream of angels."
While we're at it, let's honor the heritage of my husband and daughter and count 1-10 in Hawaiian:
'ekahi
'elua
'ekolu
'eha
'elima
'eono
'ehiku
'ewalu
'eiwa
'umi
Imua, Hawai'i ku!
