{"id":941,"date":"2024-10-19T22:28:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-19T22:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toponomastics.com\/en\/?p=941"},"modified":"2026-07-06T11:40:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T11:40:48","slug":"swadesh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toponomastics.com\/en\/swadesh\/","title":{"rendered":"Swadesh 207 list"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/toponomastics.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/swadesh_207.png?fit=922%2C614&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Swadesh 207 list\" class=\"wp-image-7992\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/toponomastics.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/swadesh_207.png?w=922&amp;ssl=1 922w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/toponomastics.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/swadesh_207.png?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/toponomastics.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/swadesh_207.png?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 922px) 100vw, 922px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Swadesh\u2019s lexical inventory may be described as a foundational instrument in comparative and historical linguistics, designed to isolate the most stable stratum of a language\u2019s vocabulary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conceived as a methodological aid for evaluating linguistic relatedness, the Swadesh list deliberately concentrates on items of <strong>basic, non\u2011specialized vocabulary<\/strong>\u2014terms referring to universal human experiences, elementary actions, and fundamental aspects of the natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The underlying premise is that such \u201c<strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#ff0000\" class=\"has-inline-color\">core<\/mark><\/strong>\u201d vocabulary exhibits a markedly slower rate of replacement over long chronological spans and therefore preserves evidence of genealogical affiliation more reliably than culturally marked lexemes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A central feature of Swadesh\u2019s approach is the exclusion of vocabulary domains susceptible to borrowing. He distinguished between <strong>\u201ccultural\u201d vocabulary<\/strong>, which is frequently exchanged across linguistic boundaries due to contact, trade, or technological diffusion, and <strong>\u201c<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#ff0000\" class=\"has-inline-color\">intimate<\/mark>\u201d vocabulary<\/strong>, which is embedded in everyday life and personal experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The latter category\u2014encompassing kinship terms, body parts, basic verbs of motion, and elemental natural phenomena\u2014was assumed to be comparatively resistant to lexical diffusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By restricting the list to this <strong>intimate sphere<\/strong>, Swadesh sought to minimize the confounding effects of borrowing and thereby enhance the diagnostic value of lexical comparison for establishing historical relationships among languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In its original formulation (Swadesh 1952), the list thus represents an attempt to codify a universal, cross\u2011linguistic baseline of lexical items that are both semantically fundamental and diachronically persistent, providing a controlled dataset for evaluating linguistic divergence and reconstructing prehistoric language contact and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:clamp(1.25rem, 1.25rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.364), 2rem);\"><strong>How It Is Used?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"\"><strong>Finding Cognates:<\/strong> Linguists translate the 207 words into the different languages being studied. By comparing the translations, they look for <strong>cognates<\/strong>\u2014words that share a common ancestral root (e.g., the English word &#8220;mother&#8221; and the German word &#8220;mutter&#8221;). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:clamp(1.082rem, 1.082rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.087), 1.68rem);\" class=\"\"><strong>Measuring Relatedness:<\/strong> By calculating the percentage of words that are cognates between two languages, researchers can determine how long ago the languages split from a single ancestral tongue. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"\"><strong>Preventing &#8220;Borrowing&#8221;:<\/strong> Swadesh deliberately chose <em>core<\/em> vocabulary\u2014body parts, natural phenomena, simple verbs, and pronouns\u2014because these words are highly intimate and thus extremely resistant to being &#8220;borrowed&#8221; from neighboring cultures over time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Example of Usage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To use the list, researchers fill out the 207 words for each language. Below is a conceptual example of how three concepts from the Swadesh 207 list are compared:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Swadesh Meaning<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Arabic<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Hebrew<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Turkish<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>I<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>ana<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>ani<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>ben<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>rain<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>ma\u1e6dar<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>matar<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>ya\u011fmur<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>four<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong><strong>arba<\/strong><\/strong><em>\u02bf<\/em><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong><strong>arba<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>d\u00f6rt<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Analysis:<\/strong> Comparing Arabic and Hebrew, we see &#8220;<strong>ma\u1e6dar<\/strong>\/\u0645\u0637\u0631&#8221; (Arabic) and &#8220;<strong>matar<\/strong>\/\u05de\u05b8\u05d8\u05b8\u05e8&#8221; (Hebrew) share a deep, historical root.<br><strong>Calculation:<\/strong> By finding out how many of the 207 words match this way between Arabic and Hebrew, linguists can quantify their relationship and evolutionary history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"background-color:#faedca;font-size:clamp(0.984rem, 0.984rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.938), 1.5rem);\">Developed by linguist Morris Swadesh, (<strong><em>Swadesh 207 list<\/em><\/strong>) is composed of fundamental concepts presumed to exist in all human cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>1- <strong>I<\/strong><\/td><td>2- <strong>you <\/strong>(singular)<\/td><td>3- <strong>they<\/strong> (singular)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4- <strong>we<\/strong><\/td><td>5- <strong>you <\/strong>(plural)<\/td><td>6- <strong>they<\/strong> (plural)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>7- <strong>this <\/strong><\/td><td>8- <strong>that <\/strong><\/td><td>9- <strong>here<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10- <strong>there<\/strong><\/td><td>11- <strong>who <\/strong><\/td><td>12- <strong>what<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>13-<strong> where<\/strong><\/td><td>14- <strong>when <\/strong><\/td><td>15-<strong> how<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>16- <strong>not<\/strong><\/td><td>17- <strong>all <\/strong><\/td><td>18- <strong>many<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>19- <strong>some<\/strong> <\/td><td>20- <strong>few<\/strong><\/td><td>21- <strong>other<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>22- <strong>one <\/strong><\/td><td>23- <strong>two<\/strong><\/td><td>24-<strong> three<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>25-<strong> four<\/strong><\/td><td>26- <strong>five<\/strong> <\/td><td>27- <strong>big<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>28- <strong>long<\/strong><\/td><td>29- <strong>wide<\/strong> <\/td><td>30- <strong>thick<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>31- <strong>heavy<\/strong><\/td><td>32- <strong>small<\/strong><\/td><td>33- <strong>short<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>34- <strong>narrow<\/strong> <\/td><td>35- <strong>thin<\/strong><\/td><td>36- <strong>woman<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>37-<strong> man<\/strong> (adult male)<\/td><td>38- <strong>man<\/strong> (human being)<\/td><td>39- <strong>child<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>40- <strong>wife<\/strong><\/td><td>41- <strong>husband<\/strong><\/td><td>42- <strong>mother<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>43- <strong>father<\/strong><\/td><td>44- <strong>animal<\/strong><\/td><td>45-<strong> fish<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>46- <strong>bird<\/strong><\/td><td>47- <strong>dog<\/strong><\/td><td>48- <strong>louse<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>49- <strong>snake<\/strong><\/td><td>50-<strong> worm<\/strong><\/td><td>51- <strong>tree<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>52- <strong>forest<\/strong><\/td><td>53- <strong>stick<\/strong><\/td><td>54- <strong>fruit<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>55- <strong>seed<\/strong><\/td><td>56- <strong>leaf<\/strong><\/td><td>57- <strong>root<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>58-<strong> bark<\/strong> (of a tree)<\/td><td>59- <strong>flower<\/strong><\/td><td>60- <strong>grass<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>61-<strong> rope<\/strong><\/td><td>62- <strong>skin<\/strong><\/td><td>63- <strong>meat<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>64-<strong> blood<\/strong><\/td><td>65- <strong>bone<\/strong> <\/td><td>66-<strong> fat<\/strong> (noun)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>67- <strong>egg<\/strong> <\/td><td>68- <strong>horn <\/strong><\/td><td>69- <strong>tail<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>70- <strong>feather<\/strong><\/td><td>71- <strong>hair<\/strong> <\/td><td>72- <strong>head<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>73-<strong> ear<\/strong> <\/td><td>74- <strong>eye<\/strong><\/td><td>75- <strong>nose<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>76- <strong>mouth<\/strong><\/td><td>77- <strong>tooth<\/strong><\/td><td>78- <strong>tongue<\/strong> (organ)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>79- <strong>fingernail<\/strong><\/td><td>80- <strong>foot<\/strong><\/td><td>81- <strong>leg<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>82- <strong>knee<\/strong><\/td><td>83- <strong>hand<\/strong><\/td><td>84- <strong>wing<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>85- <strong>belly<\/strong><\/td><td>86- <strong>guts<\/strong><\/td><td>87- <strong>neck<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>88- <strong>back<\/strong><\/td><td>89- <strong>breast<\/strong><\/td><td>90- <strong>heart<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>91- <strong>liver<\/strong><\/td><td>92- <strong>to drink<\/strong><\/td><td>93- <strong>to eat<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>94- <strong>to bite<\/strong><\/td><td>95- <strong>to suck<\/strong> <\/td><td>96- <strong>to spit<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>97- <strong>to vomit<\/strong><\/td><td>98- <strong>to blow<\/strong><\/td><td>99- <strong>to breathe<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>100- <strong>to laugh<\/strong><\/td><td>101- <strong>to see<\/strong><\/td><td>102- <strong>to hear<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>103- <strong>to know<\/strong><\/td><td>104-<strong> to drink<\/strong><\/td><td>105- <strong>to smell<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>106-<strong> to fear<\/strong><\/td><td>107- <strong>to sleep<\/strong><\/td><td>108- <strong>to live<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>109-<strong> to die<\/strong><\/td><td>110- <strong>to kill<\/strong><\/td><td>111- <strong>to fight<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>112- <strong>to hunt<\/strong><\/td><td>113- <strong>to hit<\/strong><\/td><td>114-<strong> to cut<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>115-<strong> to split<\/strong><\/td><td>116- <strong>to stab<\/strong><\/td><td>117-<strong> to scratch<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>118- <strong>to dig<\/strong> <\/td><td>119- <strong>to swim<\/strong><\/td><td>120-<strong> to fly<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>121- <strong>to walk<\/strong><\/td><td>122- <strong>to come<\/strong><\/td><td>123-<strong> to lie<\/strong> (as in a bed)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>124- <strong>to sit<\/strong> <\/td><td>125- <strong>to stand<\/strong><\/td><td>126- <strong>to turn<\/strong> (intransitive)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>127-<strong> to fall<\/strong><\/td><td>128- <strong>to give<\/strong><\/td><td>129-<strong> to hold<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>130- <strong>to squeeze<\/strong><\/td><td>131-<strong> to rub<\/strong><\/td><td>132-<strong> to wash<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>133- <strong>to wipe<\/strong><\/td><td>134- <strong>to pull<\/strong><\/td><td>135- <strong>to push<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>136- <strong>to throw<\/strong><\/td><td>137-<strong> to tie<\/strong><\/td><td>138- <strong>to sew<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>139- <strong>to count<\/strong><\/td><td>140- <strong>to say<\/strong><\/td><td>141- <strong>to sing<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>142- <strong>to play<\/strong><\/td><td>143- <strong>to float<\/strong><\/td><td>144- <strong>to flow<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>145-<strong> to freeze<\/strong><\/td><td>146-<strong> to swell<\/strong><\/td><td>147- <strong>sun<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>148- <strong>moon<\/strong><\/td><td>149- <strong>star<\/strong><\/td><td>150- <strong>water<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>151- <strong>rain<\/strong><\/td><td>152- <strong>river<\/strong><\/td><td>153-<strong> lake<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>154- <strong>sea<\/strong><\/td><td>155- <strong>salt<\/strong><\/td><td>156- <strong>stone<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>157- <strong>sand<\/strong><\/td><td>158-<strong> dust<\/strong><\/td><td>159- <strong>earth<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>160-<strong> cloud<\/strong><\/td><td>161-<strong> fog<\/strong><\/td><td>162- <strong>sky<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>163- <strong>wind<\/strong><\/td><td>164- <strong>snow<\/strong><\/td><td>165- <strong>ice<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>166- <strong>smoke<\/strong><\/td><td>167- <strong>fire<\/strong><\/td><td>168- <strong>ash<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>169- <strong>to burn<\/strong><\/td><td>170- <strong>road<\/strong><\/td><td>171- <strong>mountain<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>172- <strong>red<\/strong><\/td><td>173- <strong>green<\/strong><\/td><td>174- <strong>yellow<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>175- <strong>white<\/strong><\/td><td>176- <strong>black<\/strong><\/td><td>177- <strong>night<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>178- <strong>day<\/strong><\/td><td>179- <strong>year<\/strong><\/td><td>180- <strong>warm<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>181- <strong>cold<\/strong><\/td><td>182- <strong>full<\/strong><\/td><td>183- <strong>new<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>184- <strong>old<\/strong><\/td><td>185- <strong>good<\/strong><\/td><td>186- <strong>bad<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>187- <strong>rotten<\/strong><\/td><td>188- <strong>dirty<\/strong><\/td><td>189- <strong>straight<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>190- <strong>round<\/strong><\/td><td>191- <strong>sharp<\/strong> (as a knife)<\/td><td>192- <strong>dull<\/strong> (as a knife)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>193- <strong>smooth<\/strong><\/td><td>194- <strong>wet<\/strong><\/td><td>195- <strong>dry<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>196- <strong>correct<\/strong><\/td><td>197- <strong>near<\/strong><\/td><td>198- <strong>far<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>199- <strong>right<\/strong><\/td><td>200- <strong>left<\/strong><\/td><td>201- <strong>at<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>202- <strong>in <\/strong><\/td><td>203-<strong> with<\/strong><\/td><td>204- <strong>and<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>205-<strong> if<\/strong><\/td><td>206- <strong>because<\/strong><\/td><td>207- <strong>name<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"656\" height=\"20\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/toponomastics.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/line002.jpg?resize=656%2C20&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-892\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/toponomastics.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/line002.jpg?w=656&amp;ssl=1 656w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/toponomastics.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/line002.jpg?resize=300%2C9&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.198rem, 1.198rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.276), 1.9rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Main drawbacks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Limitations of using the Swadesh list include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211; <strong>Semantic Shifting<\/strong>: Words change meaning over time, and different languages may categorize a meaning with a broader or narrower scope, artificially inflating or deflating cognate counts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211; <strong>Camouflaged borrowing<\/strong>: Distinguishing between inherited ancestral words and vocabulary borrowed from neighboring languages can be difficult, leading to false relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211; <strong>Forced translations<\/strong>: Many English concepts (e.g., specific kinship terms or environmental words like &#8220;snow&#8221; or &#8220;fog&#8221;) lack direct, universal equivalents in other cultures, leading to forced translations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Swadesh<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Proto-Semitic<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Akkadian<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#ff0000\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Latin<\/mark><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Water<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>m\u0101\u02c0\u016b<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>m\u0101w\u016b<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#fe0000\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>meio<\/strong><\/mark><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary Latin word for &#8220;<strong>water<\/strong>&#8221; is <strong>aqua<\/strong>. As Latin evolved, <strong>aqua<\/strong> transformed phonetically into the everyday word for water across Southern and Western Europe. Examples include: Spanish\/Portuguese: <strong>agua<\/strong> and Italian: <strong>acqua<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(1.092rem, 1.092rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 1.105), 1.7rem);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Latin has several synonyms for &#8220;<strong>aqua<\/strong>&#8221; such as: &#8220;<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#fe0000\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>meio<\/strong><\/mark>&#8220;, which almost certainly a loanword of Semitic origin. However, the extant etymological literature generally identifies Latin &#8220;<mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#fe0000\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>meio<\/strong><\/mark>&#8220;, as originating within the Indo\u2011European linguistic tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Swadesh\u2019s lexical inventory may be described as a foundational instrument in comparative and historical linguistics, designed to isolate the most stable stratum of a language\u2019s vocabulary. Conceived as a methodological aid for evaluating linguistic relatedness, the Swadesh list deliberately concentrates on items of basic, non\u2011specialized vocabulary\u2014terms referring to universal human experiences, elementary actions, and fundamental&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-basics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Swadesh 207 list - Toponomastics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/toponomastics.com\/en\/swadesh\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Swadesh 207 list - Toponomastics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Swadesh\u2019s lexical inventory may be described as a foundational instrument in comparative and historical linguistics, designed to isolate the most stable stratum of a language\u2019s vocabulary. 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