Multiplicative numeral . Word that indicates the number by which a base unit is multiplied that is taken as a starting point; It is the multiple that refers to the number of times that a certain thing occurs or is repeated. Multiplicative numerals present variation in gender and grammatical number, and can function as nouns or adjectives . The forms of these numerals are limited, and usually only the first in the series are used. As in the case of cardinals and fractional numbers , multiplicatives also have quantifying capacity, although it is an indirect quantification.
Summary
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- 1 Forms of multiplicative numerals
- 2 Adjective function
- 3 Substantive function
- 4 Gender
- 5 Common use
- 6 Sources
Forms of multiplicative numerals
| Number | Multiplicative numeral |
| two | double and double, feminine: double |
| 3 | triple and triple, female: triple |
| 4 | quadruple and quadruple, female: quadruple |
| 5 | quintuple and quintuple, feminine: quintuple |
| 6 | sextuple and sextuple, feminine: sextuple |
| 7 | sevenfold and sevenfold, feminine: sevenfold |
| 8 | eightfold and eightfold, feminine: eightfold |
| 9 | nónuplo, feminine: nónupla |
| 10 | tenfold, feminine: tenfold |
| eleven | eleven, feminine: eleven |
| 12 | duodécuplo, feminine: duodécupla |
| 13 | third tenfold, feminine: third tenfold |
| 100 | centuple, feminine: centuple |
Adjective function
Multiplicative numerals can act as adjectives and act as modifiers of the noun they accompany. In this way, they denote that the noun they refer to is made up of as many equal units or measures, or implies as many repetitions, as the numeral indicates. Example: A double win, triple jump, quintuple delivery.
Substantive function
Multiplicatives can also function as nouns, with the meaning of quantity x (two, three, four, etc.) times greater. With this function they are normally used preceded by an article. Examples:
- The witness knew twice as much, but said nothing more.
- I studied triple what I needed.
Gender
Some multiplicatives have two forms: one ending in -e, valid for both genders (double birth, double letter); and another ending in -o, which corresponds to a feminine in -a, which depends on the function they perform: as nouns, they are always masculine; in adjective function, they must agree in gender and number with the noun (double birth, double letter). However, as adjectives, only forms ending in -e are currently used. As nouns, although the forms in -e are the majority (double, triple, etc.), the use of forms in -o is still documented. Among the forms that do not have gender variation are the adjectives double and triple, equivalent to double and triple, but they are highly cultured and rarely used.
Common use
Generally the use of multiplicative numerals is restricted to the lowest in the series. The most common multiplicative forms are those that indicate multiplication by 2 (double), 3 (triple), 4 (quadruple), 5 (fivefold), and 6 (sixfold). The variants with the suffix -plo, of these numerals, in current Spanish are less used: double, triple, quadruple, quintuple, sextuple. In some countries of America , the feminine dupla has survived as a noun to refer to two people or two things.
From nine onwards, multiplicatives are practically unusual; instead, the corresponding cardinal numeral is used, followed by times greater or times more, a formula that also serves to express the idea of multiplication in those cases in which there is no specific form of multiplicative: ten times greater, five times more.
