Swadesh List
A Swadesh list is one of several lists of vocabulary with "basic" meanings, developed by Morris Swadesh in the 1940–50s, which is used in lexicostatistics (quantitative language relatedness assessment) and glottochronology (language divergence dating).
See also [1] and [2] for a comparison of Mandarin, Cantonese, Amoy, Teochew, Hakka, and Burmese.
| English word | POS | MTL | notes | MTL (2) | note (2) | MTL (3) | note (3) | MTL (4) | note (4) | MTL (5) | note (5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | personal pronoun | goar | |||||||||
| you(singular) | personal pronoun | lie | |||||||||
| he | personal pronoun | y | |||||||||
| we | personal pronoun | gurn/goarn | we (not including you) | larn | we (including you) | ||||||
| you(plural) | personal pronoun | lirn | |||||||||
| they | personal pronoun | yn | |||||||||
| this | demonstrative pronoun | zef | cit'ee | ||||||||
| that | demonstrative pronoun | hef | hit'ee | ||||||||
| here | demonstrative pronoun | ciaf | |||||||||
| there | demonstrative pronoun | hiaf | |||||||||
| who | interrogative | sviaflaang | siafng | contraction of sviaflaang | |||||||
| what | interrogative | sviafmih | symmih | tQfcidee | which | ||||||
| where | interrogative | tQfui | |||||||||
| when | interrogative | symmih-sizun | what time | tangsii | |||||||
| how | interrogative | juhQo | formal | afnzvoar | informal | zvoafviu | in what way | ||||
| not | pud | literary | m | is not/does not | boe | is not able to | maix | do not (imperative) | bQo | does not have/did not | |
| all | quantifier | zoanpo | all of it | kuy | ex. all day | sofu | ex. all cars | lorng | ex. they all see it. | lofngzorng | ex. how many in all? |
| many | quantifier | zoe | |||||||||
| some | quantifier | cidkoar | kuynaxee | ||||||||
| few | quantifier | ciQr | |||||||||
| other | quantifier | kithvaf | padee | ||||||||
| one | cardinal number | id | more than 10 | cit | less than 10 | ||||||
| two | cardinal number | ji | nng | ||||||||
| three | cardinal number | svaf | |||||||||
| four | cardinal number | six | |||||||||
| five | cardinal number | go | |||||||||
| big | adjective | toa | |||||||||
| long | adjective | tngg | |||||||||
| wide | adjective | khoafn | |||||||||
| thick | adjective | kau | |||||||||
| heavy | adjective | tang | |||||||||
| small | adjective | soex | |||||||||
| short | adjective | tQea | |||||||||
| narrow | adjective | oeh | |||||||||
| thin | adjective | pQh | |||||||||
| woman | noun | lwjiin | formal | zabor | informal | ||||||
| man(adult male) | noun | lamjiin | formal | zapof | informal | ||||||
| man(human being) | noun | laang | |||||||||
| child(a youth) | noun | gyn'ar | informal | jitoong | formal | ||||||
| wife | noun | bor | |||||||||
| husband | noun | afng | |||||||||
| mother | noun | bwchyn/bQfchyn | literary | lauxbuo | mamaf | abuo | |||||
| father | noun | huxchyn | literary | lauxpe | papaf | apaf | |||||
| animal | noun | toxngbut | |||||||||
| fish | noun | hii | |||||||||
| bird | noun | ciao | ciawar | ||||||||
| dog | noun | kao | kawar | ||||||||
| louse | noun | sad | satbuo | ||||||||
| snake | noun | zoaa | |||||||||
| worm | noun | thaang | toxurn | earthworm | toxkurn | earthworm | |||||
| tree | noun | chiu | chiu'ar (chiu-ar) | ||||||||
| forest | noun | simliim | chiuxnaa | ||||||||
| stick | noun | chiuxky | tree branch | ki'ar | informal | ||||||
| fruit | noun | zuykQr | koefcie | ||||||||
| seed | noun | zefngcie | |||||||||
| leaf | noun | hiQh | hiQqar | ||||||||
| root | noun | kwn | |||||||||
| bark | noun | chiuxphQee | |||||||||
| flower | noun | hoef | |||||||||
| grass | noun | zhao | |||||||||
| rope | noun | sQq | sQh'ar | ||||||||
| skin | noun | phQee | phQehw | ||||||||
| meat | noun | baq | |||||||||
| blood | noun | huiq | hiet'ek | ||||||||
| bone | noun | kud | kutthaau | ||||||||
| fat | noun | cihoong | academic | jixnngg | colloquial | ||||||
| egg | noun | nng | koenng | chicken egg | |||||||
| horn | noun | kag | |||||||||
| tail | noun | bQea | bQefliw | ||||||||
| feather | noun | ciawmngg | |||||||||
| hair | noun | thaumngg | |||||||||
| head | noun | thaau | affix | thaukhag | |||||||
| ear | noun | hvi | hvi'ar (hvi-ar) | hvixkhafng | |||||||
| eye | noun | bagciw | |||||||||
| nose | noun | phvi | phvi'ar (phvi-ar) | ||||||||
| mouth | noun | zhuix | |||||||||
| tooth | noun | zhuiekhie | |||||||||
| tongue | noun | cih | zhuiecih | ||||||||
| fingernail | noun | zefngkaq | |||||||||
| foot | noun | khaf | |||||||||
| leg | noun | thuie | |||||||||
| knee | noun | khathauw | |||||||||
| hand | noun | chiuo | |||||||||
| wing | noun | ek | literary | sit | sidar | sidkor | |||||
| belly | noun | paktor | |||||||||
| guts | noun | tng'ar | |||||||||
| neck | noun | axmkurn | |||||||||
| back | noun | khaciahphviaf | |||||||||
| breast | noun | hiofng | chest (affix) | hiongpo | chest (academic) | hengkharm | chest (generic) | lengpoong | female organ | ||
| heart | noun | simzong | |||||||||
| liver | noun | kvoaf | affix | kvoazong | |||||||
| drink | verb | lym | |||||||||
| eat | verb | ciah | |||||||||
| bite | verb | ka | |||||||||
| suck | verb | khib | affix | cip | sip | suq | suck | ||||
| spit | verb | phuix | generic | phuienoa | lit. spit saliva (informal) | phuiezhuienoa | lit. spit saliva (informal) | phuiethaam | lit. spit phlegm (informal) | ||
| vomit | verb | ao | informal | thox | informal | awthox | formal | ||||
| blow | verb | zhef | puun | ||||||||
| breathe | verb | hokhib | academic (respire) | zhoafnkhuix | |||||||
| laugh | verb | chiQx | |||||||||
| see | verb | khvoax | |||||||||
| hear | verb | thviaf | |||||||||
| know | verb | zay | zaiviar | pad | to recognize | ||||||
| think | verb | sviu | |||||||||
| smell | verb | phvi | |||||||||
| fear | verb | kviaf | |||||||||
| sleep | verb | khuxn | |||||||||
| live | verb | oah | |||||||||
| die | verb | sie | |||||||||
| kill | verb | thaai | |||||||||
| fight | verb | oankef | argue | siQphaq | fists | siQthaai | war | ||||
| hunt | verb | phahlah | |||||||||
| hit | verb | phaq | |||||||||
| cut | verb | koaq | cut in two | chied | slice | kaf | scissors | ||||
| split | verb | phoarkhuy | transitive split open | liqkhuy | intransitive split open | hunkhuy | split up | ||||
| stab | verb | chix | zaan | tuh | |||||||
| scratch | verb | pee | |||||||||
| dig | verb | or | oea | iaq | liuo | kut | |||||
| swim | verb | siuzuie | |||||||||
| fly | verb | pef | |||||||||
| walk | verb | kviaa | generic | kvialo | go on foot (informal) | poxheeng | go on foot (formal) | poxkviaa | go on foot (formal) | poxliern | go on foot (formal) |
| come | verb | laai | |||||||||
| lie | verb | tQr | horizontal | ||||||||
| sit | verb | ze | |||||||||
| stand | verb | zam | affix | khia | |||||||
| turn | verb | oad | change direction | ||||||||
| fall | verb | laklQh | drop | ||||||||
| give | verb | ho | |||||||||
| hold | verb | theh | |||||||||
| squeeze | verb | lut | |||||||||
| rub | verb | loarn | massage; knead | ||||||||
| wash | verb | soea | |||||||||
| wipe | verb | chid | |||||||||
| pull | verb | khiuo | giuo | ||||||||
| push | verb | sag | |||||||||
| throw | verb | taxn | |||||||||
| tie | verb | pak | |||||||||
| sew | verb | paang | thvi | ||||||||
| count | verb | siaux | |||||||||
| say | verb | korng | |||||||||
| sing | verb | chviux | |||||||||
| play | verb | sngr | chitthQo | intransitive | |||||||
| float | verb | phuu | |||||||||
| flow | verb | laau | |||||||||
| freeze | verb | kietpefng | |||||||||
| swell | verb | phorngtoa | |||||||||
| sun | noun | thaeioong | scientific | jidthaau | informal | ||||||
| moon | noun | gQeqniuu | |||||||||
| star | noun | chvy | |||||||||
| water | noun | zuie | |||||||||
| rain | noun | ho | |||||||||
| river | noun | hQo | |||||||||
| lake | noun | oo | |||||||||
| sea | noun | hae | |||||||||
| salt | noun | iaam | |||||||||
| stone | noun | ciQh | affix | ciQqthaau | |||||||
| sand | noun | soaf | |||||||||
| dust | noun | thohurn | |||||||||
| earth | noun | texkiuu | planet | ||||||||
| cloud | noun | huun | |||||||||
| fog | noun | bu | |||||||||
| sky | noun | thvy | |||||||||
| wind | noun | hofng | |||||||||
| snow | noun | seq | |||||||||
| ice | noun | pefng | |||||||||
| smoke | noun | hwn | |||||||||
| fire | noun | hea | |||||||||
| ashes | noun | hef | ashes or dust | hefhw | |||||||
| burn | verb | hviaa | |||||||||
| road | noun | lo | |||||||||
| mountain | noun | svoaf | |||||||||
| red | adjective | aang | |||||||||
| green | adjective | lek | chvy | ||||||||
| yellow | adjective | ngg | |||||||||
| white | adjective | peh | |||||||||
| black | adjective | of | |||||||||
| night | noun | armsii | |||||||||
| day | noun | jidsii | |||||||||
| year | noun | nii | |||||||||
| warm | adjective | siQlQ | |||||||||
| cold | adjective | kvoaa | |||||||||
| full | adjective | boarn | moar | tvi | |||||||
| new | adjective | syn | |||||||||
| old | adjective | lau | not young | ku | not new | ||||||
| good | adjective | hQr | |||||||||
| bad | adjective | phvae | |||||||||
| rotten | adjective | aux | zhaonoa | ||||||||
| dirty | adjective | lahsab | |||||||||
| straight | adjective | tit | |||||||||
| round | adjective | vii | |||||||||
| sharp | adjective | lai | |||||||||
| dull | adjective | tun | |||||||||
| smooth | adjective | kngkut | |||||||||
| wet | adjective | sib | taam | ||||||||
| dry | adjective | taf | |||||||||
| correct | adjective | tiQh | informal | zerngkhag | formal | ||||||
| near | adjective | kun | |||||||||
| far | adjective | hng | |||||||||
| right | adjective | cviax | |||||||||
| left | adjective | tQx | |||||||||
| at | preposition | ti | |||||||||
| in | preposition | ti | lai | ||||||||
| with | conjunction | kab | |||||||||
| and | conjunction | kab | |||||||||
| if | conjunction | naxsi | |||||||||
| because | conjunction | in'ui | |||||||||
| name | noun | miaa | affix or generic |