Reconstruction:Proto-Bantu/ìdìbà

This Proto-Bantu entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Bantu

Noun

*ìdìbà class 5 (plural *màdìbà class 6)

1. pond or lake

Descendants

• Northeast Bantu:
  • Northeast Coast Bantu:
    • Swahili (G42): ziwa (“lake”)
  • Great Lakes Bantu:
    • Rwanda-Rundi (J61/62): iriba (“well”)
    • Luganda (J15): kidiba (“pond”)
    • Kabwa (J405): eriribha (“pond”)
  • Thagiicu
    • Kikuyu (E51): iria (“lake, pond”)

• Basaa-Yaunde:
  • Bankon (A42): maléw (“water”)
  • Basaa (A43a): malép (“water”)
  • Ewondo (A72): məndím (“water”)

• Nyasa:
  • Chichewa (N31): dziwe (“pond”)

• Sawabantu:
  • Duala (A24): madíbá (“water”)

• Makaa-Njem:
  • Kol (Cameroon) (A832): mòdíbɔ́ (“water”)

• Bangi-Ntomba:
  • Lingala (C30B): liziba (“pond”)
• Ngombe (Congo) (C41): madíbá (“water”)

• Boma-Dzing:
  • Nzadi (B865): iziba (“lake”)

• Shona (S10): dziva (“pond”)

• Southern Bantu: (shifted to class 7)
  • Nguni:
    • Zunda:
      • Xhosa (S41): isiziba (“pond”)
      • Zulu (S42): isiziba (“pond”)
  • Sotho (S33): sediba (“spring”)
• Southwest Bantu:
  • Herero (R30): omeva (“water”)
  • Kwanyama (R21): omeva (“water”)
  • Umbundu (R11): ovava (“water”)