Appendix:Fongbe Swadesh list
The following Fongbe Swadesh list is from Lefebvre & Brousseau (2002). The Swadesh list has been slightly modified from the original 207-item Swadesh list.
List edit
| No. | English gloss | Fongbe | etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | hand | àlɔ̀ | |
| 2 | left (speaking of hand) | àmyɔ̀n | |
| 3 | right (speaking of hand) | ɖísí | |
| 4 | leg | àfɔ̀ | |
| 3 | foot | àfɔ̀ | |
| 6 | to walk | (ɖì) zɔ̀nlìn | to resemble walk |
| 7 | road, trail/path | àlì | |
| 8 | to come | wá | |
| 9 | to turn/to change one's direction | lìlɛ́/xá | |
| 10 | swim | lɛ̀ tɔ̀ | bathe river |
| 11 | to wash (something other than body parts) | klɔ́ | |
| 12 | to wipe | súnsún | |
| 13 | to rub | títín | |
| 14 | dirty | kújì | |
| 15 | dust | àfín-túntún/àfún-túntún | ashes-letting out |
| 16 | skin (of human)/body | àbgàzà/wú | |
| 17 | back (person's) | nɛ̀gbé | |
| 18 | belly | àɖɔ́-gò | intestine-container |
| 19 | bone | xú | |
| 20 | guts/viscera | xòmɛ̀nú | belly-in-thing |
| 21 | liver | fíjó | |
| 22 | heart | hún | |
| 23 | to know (facts) | tùn | |
| 24 | to think | lìn | |
| 25 | to fear | ɖì xɛ̀sì | to resemble fear |
| 26 | blood | hùn | |
| 27 | head | tà | |
| 28 | neck | kɔ̀ | |
| 29 | hair (esp. of head) | dà | |
| 30 | nose | àɔ̀ntín | |
| 31 | breath | àgbɔ̀n | |
| 32 | to smell | wán | |
| 33 | mouth | nù | |
| 34 | tooth (esp. front rather than molar) | àɖú | |
| 35 | tongue | ɖɛ́ | |
| 36 | to laugh | kó nú | laugh thing |
| 37 | to cry/to weep | yàví | |
| 38 | to vomit | slú/vì | |
| 39 | to spit | túntán | |
| 40 | to eat | ɖù nú | to eat thing |
| 41 | to cook | ɖà nú | to prepare thing |
| 42 | to drink | nù | |
| 43 | to bite | hɛ̀n àɖú [hànɖú] | to hold tooth |
| 44 | to suck (at breast) | nɔ́ ànɔ́ | to suck breast |
| 45 | ear | tó | |
| 46 | to hear | sè | |
| 47 | eye | nùnkún | |
| 48 | to see/to catch sight of | mɔ̀ | |
| 49 | to sleep | dɔ́ àmlɔ̀n [dàmlɔ̀n] | to sleep sleep |
| 50 | to lie (on one's side) | dlɛ́n | |
| 51 | to sit | jìján/jìjɔ́n àyì | to sit floor |
| 52 | to stand | ɖò tè | to be at up |
| 53 | person | mɛ̀ | |
| 54 | man (human male) | súnû | |
| 55 | woman (not 'wife') | nyɔ́nû | |
| 56 | child (young person, rather than offspring) | ví | |
| 57 | husband | àsú | |
| 58 | wife | àsì | |
| 59 | mother | nɔ̀ | |
| 60 | father | tɔ́ | |
| 61 | brother | nɔ̀ví súnû | sibling man |
| 62 | sister | nɔ̀ví nyɔ́nû | sibling woman |
| 63 | name | nyìkɔ́ | |
| 64 | to say | ɖɔ̀ | |
| 65 | rope | kàn | |
| 66 | to tie (as knot, rather than 'to tie up') | sìn | |
| 67 | to sew | tɔ̀ | |
| 68 | clothing | àwù | |
| 69 | to hunt (game) | nyà gbé | to hunt hunt |
| 70 | to shoot (bow or gun) | dà tún | to shoot gun |
| 71 | to stab (or to stick) | sɔ́ jìví | to take knife |
| 72 | to hit (esp. with fist) | xò | |
| 73 | to fight (esp. humans) | xò hùn | to hit blood |
| 74 | to kilt | hù | |
| 75 | to die | kú | |
| 76 | to live | nɔ̀ gbɛ̀ | to stay life |
| 77 | to scratch (as with fingernails, to relieve itch) | klú | |
| 78 | to cut (as with knife) | sɛ́n | |
| 79 | stick (of wood) | kpò | |
| 80 | to split | má | |
| 81 | sharp (as in knife) | dídá | |
| 82 | matt/dull (as in knife) | é kɔ́n ǎ | 3sg shine Neg (It does not shine.) |
| 83 | to work | wà àzɔ́ [wàzɔ́] | to do work |
| 84 | to play (games) | ɖà àyìhún | to do game |
| 85 | to sing | jìhàn | to give birth song |
| 86 | to dance | ɖù wè | to eat dance |
| 87 | to swell | jí/tɛ̀ | |
| 88 | to squeeze | lì | |
| 89 | to hold (in hand) | hɛ̀n | |
| 90 | to dig | hɔ̀n | |
| 91 | to give | ná | |
| 92 | to pull | dɔ̀n | |
| 93 | to push | sísɛ́ | |
| 94 | to throw | nyì | |
| 95 | to fall | jɛ̀ àyì | to fall ground |
| 96 | dog | àvùn | |
| 97 | bird | hɛ̀ | |
| 98 | egg | àzìn | |
| 99 | feather (larger one, rather than down) | fún | |
| 100 | wing | àwà | |
| 101 | to fly | zɔ̀n | |
| 102 | animal | kànlín | |
| 103 | meat (flesh) | làn | |
| 104 | fat (organic substance) | jó | |
| 105 | tail | sí | |
| 106 | snake | dàn | |
| 107 | worm (esp. earthworm) | vɔ́n | |
| 108 | louse | jɔ́ | |
| 109 | fish | hwè-ví | sun-child |
| 110 | tree | àtín | |
| 111 | rotten (as in log) | nyɔ̀n | |
| 112 | leaf | àmà | |
| 113 | bark (of tree) | fló/àkpà | |
| 114 | root | ɖɔ̀ | |
| 115 | seed | kwí | |
| 116 | flower | flówà | |
| 117 | berry/fruit | àtín-sínsɛ́n | tree-produce/fruit |
| 118 | grass | àmà | |
| 119 | earth (soil) | kɔ́ | sand |
| 120 | stone (pebble) | kpé | |
| 121 | sand | kɔ́ | |
| 122 | water | sìn | |
| 123 | freeze | - | |
| 124 | ice | làglásì | < French la glace (the ice) |
| 125 | to flow | lúlú | |
| 126 | to float | ɖò sìn nùkú mɛ̀ | at water face in |
| 127 | sea (ocean) | xù | |
| 128 | salt | jɛ̀ | |
| 129 | lake | tɔ̀ | |
| 130 | river | tɔ̀ | |
| 131 | mountain | só | |
| 132 | woods | xwlɛ̀ | |
| 133 | sky | jì-xwé | rain-house |
| 134 | sun | hwè | |
| 135 | star | sùn-ví | moon-child |
| 136 | cloud | àkpókpó | |
| 137 | fog | àhún | |
| 138 | to rain | jí | |
| 139 | snow | - | |
| 140 | wind | jɔ̀hɔ̀n | |
| 141 | to blow (speaking of wind) | jɔ̀hɔ̀n nyí | wind be |
| 142 | warm (speaking of weather) | yò-zò | ?-fire |
| 143 | cold (speaking of weather) | àvìvɔ̀ | |
| 144 | dry (substance) | hú | |
| 145 | wet | fá | |
| 146 | smooth | ɖíɖí | |
| 147 | heavy | kpɛ̀n | |
| 148 | fire | myɔ̀/zò | |
| 149 | to burn (intrans.) | ji-zò | produce-fire |
| 150 | smoke (of fire) | àzìzɔ̀ | |
| 151 | ashes | àfín | |
| 152 | black | wìwì | |
| 153 | white | wèwé | |
| 154 | red | vɔ̀vɔ̀ | |
| 155 | yellow | kòkló'jó | chicken-fat |
| 156 | green | àmà-mú | leaf-fresh |
| 157 | small | kpɛ̀ví | |
| 158 | big | ɖàxó | |
| 159 | short | glì | |
| 160 | long | gàgà | |
| 161 | thin | wíní | |
| 162 | thick | tlí | |
| 163 | narrow | hwè | |
| 164 | wide | ɖàxó | |
| 165 | straight | tlélé | |
| 166 | old | kpò | |
| 167 | new | yɔ̀yɔ́ | |
| 168 | good | ɖàgbè | |
| 169 | bad (deleterious, unsuitable) | líyán | |
| 170 | right (correct) | ɖàgbè | |
| 171 | night | zán | |
| 172 | day (opp. of night, rather than time measure) | ké zé | |
| 173 | year | hwè | |
| 174 | when | hwètɛ́nû/hwènùtɛ́ | |
| 175 | at | ɖò | |
| 176 | in | mɛ̀ | |
| 177 | here | fí | |
| 178 | there | dɔ́n | |
| 179 | this | élɔ́ | |
| 180 | that | énɛ́ | |
| 181 | near | kpá | |
| 182 | far | zɔ̀ | |
| 183 | where | fítɛ́ | |
| 184 | I | nyɛ̀ | |
| 185 | thou/you | hwɛ̀ | |
| 186 | (s)he | (é)yɛ̀ | |
| 187 | we (exclusive/inclusive) | mí | |
| 188 | we/you (pl.) | mí | |
| 189 | they | yé | |
| 190 | what | étɛ́ | |
| 191 | who | mɛ́ | |
| 192 | other | ɖévò | |
| 193 | some | ɖélɛ́ | |
| 194 | many | gègé | |
| 195 | few | kpɛ̀ɖé | |
| 196 | all | bí | |
| 197 | and | bɔ̀ | |
| 198 | with (accompanying) | kpóɖó | |
| 199 | because | (w)útú/ɖó | |
| 200 | if | - | |
| 201 | how | nɛ́gbɔ̀n | |
| 202 | not | mà/kún | |
| 203 | to count | hà | |
| 204 | one | ɖòkpó/òɖé | |
| 205 | two | (ò)wè | |
| 206 | three | àtɔ̀n | |
| 207 | four | ɛ̀nɛ̀ | |
| 208 | five | àtɔ́ɔ́n | |
| 209 | six | àyìzɛ́n | |
| 210 | seven | tɛ́nwê | |
| 211 | eight | tántɔ̂n | |
| 212 | nine | tɛ́nnɛ̂ | |
| 213 | ten | wó | |
| 214 | twenty | kó | |
| 215 | hundred | kán-wé-kó | forty two-times + twenty |
References edit
- Lefebvre, Claire, and Anne-Marie Brousseau (2002). A Grammar of Fongbe. Walter de Gruyter. →ISBN.