Appendix A: Swadesh list
Swadesh List
Adapted from Canadian Institute of Linguistics[1]
This is a list of common words found in most languages. The word class column gives an example of the word class for this concept common in many languages, though it may not be the same in your language. Elicit the words in the list and remember – for each verb you will need to collect the full paradigm. The pronouns listed at the beginning of the list might not occur as separate words in your language. That’s ok – don’t be concerned if you can’t get every word on this list.
English | Word Class | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | pronoun_personal |
| 2 | you | pronoun_personal |
| 3 | he | pronoun_personal |
| 4 | we | pronoun_personal |
| 5 | you guys (you pl.) | pronoun_personal |
| 6 | they | pronoun_personal |
| 7 | this | pronoun_demonstrative |
| 8 | that | pronoun_demonstrative |
| 9 | here | adverb |
| 10 | there | adverb |
| 11 | who? | question_word |
| 12 | what? | question_word |
| 13 | where? | question_word |
| 14 | when? | question_word |
| 15 | how? | question_word |
| 16 | not | adverb |
| 17 | all | particle_quantifier |
| 18 | many | particle_quantifier |
| 19 | some | particle_quantifier |
| 20 | few | particle_quantifier |
| 21 | other | adjective |
| 22 | one | particle_article_determiner |
| 23 | two | particle_article_determiner |
| 24 | three | particle_article_determiner |
| 25 | four | particle_article_determiner |
| 26 | five | particle_article_determiner |
| 27 | big | adjective |
| 28 | long | adjective |
| 29 | wide | adjective |
| 30 | thick | adjective |
| 31 | heavy | adjective |
| 32 | small | adjective |
| 33 | short | adjective |
| 34 | narrow | adjective |
| 35 | thin | adjective |
| 36 | woman | noun |
| 37 | man (male) | noun |
| 38 | person | noun |
| 39 | child (young) | noun |
| 40 | wife | noun |
| 41 | husband | noun |
| 42 | mother | noun |
| 43 | father | noun |
| 44 | animal | noun |
| 45 | fish | noun |
| 46 | bird | noun |
| 47 | dog | noun |
| 48 | louse | noun |
| 49 | snake | noun |
| 50 | worm | noun |
| 51 | tree | noun |
| 52 | woods (forest) | noun |
| 53 | stick (of wood) | noun |
| 54 | fruit | noun |
| 55 | seed | noun |
| 56 | leaf | noun |
| 57 | root | noun |
| 58 | bark (tree) | noun |
| 59 | flower | noun |
| 60 | grass | noun |
| 61 | rope | noun |
| 62 | skin (of person) | noun |
| 63 | meat (flesh) | noun |
| 64 | blood | noun |
| 65 | bone | noun |
| 66 | fat (substance) | noun |
| 67 | egg | noun |
| 68 | head | noun |
| 69 | tail | noun |
| 70 | feather (large) | noun |
| 71 | hair | noun |
| 72 | head | noun |
| 73 | ear | noun |
| 74 | eye | noun |
| 75 | nose | noun |
| 76 | mouth | noun |
| 77 | tooth (front) | noun |
| 78 | tongue | noun |
| 79 | fingernail | noun |
| 80 | foot | noun |
| 81 | leg | noun |
| 82 | knee | noun |
| 83 | hand | noun |
| 84 | wing | noun |
| 85 | belly | noun |
| 86 | guts | noun |
| 87 | neck | noun |
| 88 | back | noun |
| 89 | breast | noun |
| 90 | heart | noun |
| 91 | liver | noun |
| 92 | to drink | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 93 | to eat | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 94 | to bite | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 95 | to suck | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 96 | to spit | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 97 | to vomit | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 98 | to blow (wind) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 99 | to breathe | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 100 | to laugh | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 101 | to see | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 102 | to hear | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 103 | know (facts) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 104 | to think | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 105 | to smell (perceive) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 106 | to fear | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 107 | to sleep | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 108 | live | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 109 | to die | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 110 | to kill | event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 111 | to fight | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 112 | to hunt (game) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 113 | to hit | event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 114 | to cut (with knife) | event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 115 | to split | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 116 | to stab (or stick) | event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 117 | scratch (itch) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 118 | to dig | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 119 | to swim | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 120 | to fly | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 121 | to walk | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 122 | to come | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 123 | to lie (on side) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 124 | to sit | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 125 | to stand | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 126 | to turn (veer) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 127 | to fall (drop) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 128 | to give | event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 129 | hold (in hand) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 130 | to squeeze | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 131 | to rub | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 132 | to wash | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 133 | To wipe | event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 134 | to pull | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 135 | to push | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 136 | to throw | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 137 | to tie | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 138 | to sew | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 139 | to count | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 140 | to say | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 141 | to sing | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 142 | to play | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 143 | to float | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 144 | to flow | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 145 | to freeze | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 146 | to swell | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 147 | sun | noun |
| 148 | moon | noun |
| 149 | star | noun |
| 150 | water | noun |
| 151 | to rain | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive event_activity_verb_like_word_transitive |
| 152 | river | noun |
| 153 | lake | noun |
| 154 | sea (ocean) | noun |
| 155 | salt | noun |
| 156 | stone | noun |
| 157 | sand | noun |
| 158 | dust | noun |
| 159 | earth (soil) | noun |
| 160 | cloud | noun |
| 161 | fog | noun |
| 162 | sky | noun |
| 163 | wind (breeze) | noun |
| 164 | snow | noun |
| 165 | ice | noun |
| 166 | smoke | noun |
| 167 | fire | noun |
| 168 | ashes | noun |
| 169 | to burn (intrans.) | event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 170 | road | noun |
| 171 | mountain | noun |
| 172 | red | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 173 | green | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 174 | yellow | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 175 | white | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 176 | black | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 177 | night | noun |
| 178 | day (not night) | noun |
| 179 | year | noun |
| 180 | warm (weather) | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 181 | cold (weather) | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 182 | full | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 183 | new | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 184 | old | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 185 | good | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 186 | bad | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 187 | rotten (log) | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 188 | dirty | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 189 | straight | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 190 | round | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 191 | sharp (knife) | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 192 | dull (knife) | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 193 | smooth | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 194 | wet | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 195 | dry (substance) | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 196 | right (correct) | adjective OR event_activity_verb_like_word_intransitive |
| 197 | near | adverb OR adjective OR pre/post-position OR event_activity_verb_like_word |
| 198 | far | adverb OR adjective OR pre/post-position OR event_activity_verb_like_word |
| 199 | right (hand) | adverb OR adjective OR pre/post-position OR event_activity_verb_like_word |
| 200 | left (hand) | adverb OR adjective OR pre/post-position OR event_activity_verb_like_word |
| 201 | at | preposition/particle_postposition |
| 202 | in | preposition/particle_postposition |
| 203 | with (accompanying) | preposition/particle_postposition |
| 204 | and | conjunction |
| 205 | if | conjunction |
| 206 | because | conjunction |
| 207 | name | noun |
[1]Swadesh composite wordlist. Adapted from Canadian Institute of Linguistics http://comparalex.org/index.php?page=stdlist&id=20 Original list:
Swadesh, Morris. 1955. Towards greater accuracy in lexicostatistic dating. International Journal of American Linguistics, 21, 121-137. |