Meaning‑List to be Collected for the Andean Languages

Preliminary Version (as of August 2003)

Back to Main Page on:  A Comparative Study of the Andean Languages


Please note that this is still a fairly preliminary version of the final list we will be collecting data for.  Most of the circa 270 meanings here are finalised, but remain to be refined as described below. 

An important request to other Andean linguists!  If there are any particular meanings, lexemes or morphemes (suffixes), extra data that you would like included in this list so that we collect comparative data for them, please feel free to email me to ask for me to include them (not too many though!)

Refinements to this list to be made to finalise it will include in particular:

    Splitting up certain English meanings for which Andean languages have no single general equivalent, but a set of more specific meanings, as for the English lexemes brother, thin, thick, and so on.

    Adding a column to the table showing such finer specifications of meanings.

    Adding a column to the table showing the Spanish equivalents through which the data will principally be collected.

    Adding a further separate list of derivational and grammatical morphemes to be collected (as attached to sample roots)

    Specifying the subset of about 150 lexemes each for which we will collect phonetic transcriptions

    Adding more columns to the table to show compatibility with other meaning lists and databases by other researchers.

    Specifying which terms are collected only for Amazonian languages, such as anteater(as inapplicable to the Andes) and vice versa.

 

The final four columns in the table below show whether a meaning is included in the following lists drawn up by other researchers:   Swadesh’s 100 and 200 meaning lists, Starostin’s most stable 35 meaning‑list, and his ‘best fit to the time‑decay equation’ list of 55 meanings.  We aim to include ALL of the meanings on all of their lists (with content necessary adjustments for the Andean linguistic and cultural context).

 

Meaning                              Part of                                            Is this meaning included in this list?

 

(English lexeme)               Speech                                           Sw 1oo          Sw 2oo        St 35              St 55

 

above, on            gcl word             -       -       -       -

after                gcl word             -       -       -       -

agouti               noun                 -       -       -       -

all                  adjective            Y       Y       -       -

and                  gcl word             -       Y       -       -

animal               noun                 -       Y       -       -

anteater             noun                 -       -       -       -

arm                  noun                 -       -       -       -

armadillo            noun                 -       -       -       -

arrow                noun                 -       -       -       -

ashes                noun                 Y       Y       -       -

at                   gcl word             -       Y       -       -

autumn               noun                 -       -       -       -

back                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

bad                  adjective            -       Y       -       -

banana               noun                 -       -       -       -

bark                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

bear                 noun                 -       -       -       -

beard                noun                 -       -       -       -

beast                noun                 -       -       -       -

because              gcl word             -       Y       -       -

beech                noun                 -       -       -       -

before               gcl word             -       -       -       -

believe              verb                 -       -       -       -

belly (stomach)      noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

berry                noun                 -       -       -       -

between              gcl word             -       -       -       -

big                  adjective            Y       Y       -       Y

bird                 noun                 Y       Y       -       -

bite                 verb                 Y       Y       -       -

black                adjective            Y       Y       -       Y

blood                noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

blow                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

body                 noun                 -       -       -       -

bone                 noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

bow                  noun                 -       -       -       -

branch               noun                 -       -       -       -

brave                adjective            -       -       -       -

bread                noun                 -       -       -       -

breast               noun                 Y       -       -       -

breathe              verb                 -       Y       -       -

bright               adjective            -       -       -       -

broad                adjective            -       -       -       -

brother              noun                 -       -       -       -

burn                 verb                 Y       Y       -       Y

canoe                noun                 -       -       -       -

car                  noun                 -       -       -       -

carry                verb                 -       -       -       -

castle               noun                 -       -       -       -

cat                  noun                 -       -       -       -

cheek                noun                 -       -       -       -

chicha               noun                 -       -       -       -

child                noun                 -       Y       -       -

claw                 noun                 Y       -       -       -

clean                adjective            -       -       -       -

clothing             noun                 -       -       -       -

cloud                noun                 Y       Y       -       -

cob of corn          noun                 -       -       -       -

cold                 adjective            Y       Y       -       -

come                 verb                 Y       Y       -       -

cook                 verb                 -       -       -       -

corn (maize)         noun                 -       -       -       -

cough                noun                 -       -       -       -

count                verb                 -       Y       -       -

cow                  noun                 -       -       -       -

cow                  noun                 -       -       -       -

cry                  verb                 -       -       -       -

cut                  verb                 -       Y       -       -

dance                verb                 -       -       -       -

dark                 adjective            -       -       -       -

daughter             noun                 -       -       -       -

day                  noun                 -       Y       -       -

deer                 noun                 -       -       -       -

defecate             verb                 -       -       -       -

die                  verb                 Y       Y       Y       Y

dig                  verb                 -       Y       -       -

dirty                adjective            -       Y       -       -

do, make             verb                 -       -       -       -

dog                  noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

donkey               noun                 -       -       -       -

door                 noun                 -       -       -       -

down                 gcl word             -       -       -       -

drink                verb                 Y       Y       -       -

dry                  adjective            Y       Y       -       Y

duck                 noun                 -       -       -       -

dull / blunt         adjective            -       Y       -       -

dust                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

ear                  noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

earth (ground)       noun                 Y       Y       -       -

eat                  verb                 Y       Y       -       Y

egg                  noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

eight                numeral              -       -       -       -

elbow                noun                 -       -       -       -

empty                adjective            -       -       -       -

enter                verb                 -       -       -       -

evening              noun                 -       -       -       -

eye                  noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

face                 noun                 -       -       -       -

fall                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

far                  adjective            -       Y       -       -

fast                 adjective            -       -       -       -

fat (grease)         noun                 Y       Y       -       -

father               noun                 -       Y       -       -

fear                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

feather              noun                 Y       Y       -       -

few                  gcl word             -       Y       -       -

field                noun                 -       -       -       -

fight                verb                 -       Y       -       -

finger               noun                 -       -       -       -

fire                 noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

first                adjective            -       -       -       -

fish                 noun                 Y       Y       Y       -

five                 numeral              -       Y       -       -

float                verb                 -       Y       -       -

flow                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

flower               noun                 -       Y       -       -

fly                  verb                 Y       Y       -       -

fog                  noun                 -       Y       -       -

food                 noun                 -       -       -       -

foot                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

forehead             noun                 -       -       -       -

four                 numeral              -       Y       -       -

freeze               verb                 -       Y       -       -

fruit                noun                 -       Y       -       -

full                 adjective            Y       -       Y       Y

girl                 noun                 -       -       -       -

give                 verb                 Y       Y       Y       -

go                   verb                 -       -       -       -

goat                 noun                 -       -       -       -

god                  noun                 -       -       -       -

gold                 noun                 -       -       -       -

good                 adjective            Y       Y       -       -

grass                noun                 -       Y       -       -

green                adjective            Y       Y       -       -

grind                verb                 -       -       -       -

guest / host         noun                 -       -       -       -

guts                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

hair                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

hand                 noun                 Y       Y       Y       -

happen               verb                 -       -       -       -

happy                adjective            -       -       -       -

he/she               morpheme             -       Y       -       -

head                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

hear                 verb                 Y       Y       -       -

heart                noun                 Y       Y       -       -

heavy                adjective            -       Y       -       -

here                 gcl word             -       Y       -       -

hide                 verb                 -       -       -       -

high up              adjective            -       -       -       -

his/her/its          gcl word             -       -       -       -

hit                  verb                 -       Y       -       -

hold/‌take            verb                 -       Y       -       -

hope                 verb                 -       -       -       -

horn                 noun                 Y       -       Y       -

hot (not warm!)      adjective            Y       Y       -       -

hour                 noun                 -       -       -       -

house                noun                 -       -       -       -

how                  gcl word             -       Y       -       -

hundred              numeral              -       -       -       -

hunt                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

husband              noun                 -       Y       -       -

I                    gcl word             Y       Y       Y       Y

ice                  noun                 -       Y       -       -

if                   gcl word             -       Y       -       -

in                   gcl word             -       Y       -       -

inside               gcl word             -       -       -       -

is                   verb                 -       -       -       -

kill                 verb                 Y       Y       -       -

kind of              gcl word             -       -       -       -

knee                 noun                 Y       -       -       Y

know                 verb                 Y       Y       Y       -

lake                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

lamb                 noun                 -       -       -       -

last (VB)            verb                 -       -       -       -

laugh                verb                 -       Y       -       -

law                  noun                 -       -       -       -

leaf                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

left (hand side)     adjective            -       Y       -       -

leg                  noun                 -       Y       -       -

lick                 verb                 -       -       -       -

lie                  verb                 Y       Y       -       -

light = bright thing noun                 -       -       -       -

light = not heavy    adjective            -       -       -       -

lip                  noun                 -       -       -       -

listen               verb                 -       -       -       -

live                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

liver                noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

long                 adjective            Y       Y       -       Y

louse                noun                 Y       Y       Y       -

maize                noun                 -       -       -       -

man/‌male             noun                 Y       Y       -       -

manioc               noun                 -       -       -       -

many                 adjective            Y       Y       -       Y

maybe                gcl word             -       -       -       -

meat/‌flesh           noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

milk                 noun                 -       -       -       -

moon                 noun                 Y       -       Y       Y

mother               noun                 -       Y       -       -

mountain             noun                 Y       Y       -       -

mouse                noun                 -       -       -       -

mouth                noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

my                   gcl word             -       -       -       -

nail (finger)        noun                 -       -       -       -

name                 noun                 Y       Y       Y       -

narrow               adjective            -       Y       -       -

navel                noun                 -       -       -       -

navigate             verb                 -       -       -       -

near                 adjective            -       Y       -       Y

neck                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

neighbour            noun                 -       -       -       -

new                  adjective            Y       Y       Y       Y

night                noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

nine                 numeral              -       -       -       -

nose                 noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

not                  gcl word             Y       Y       -       -

now                  gcl word             -       -       -       -

old                  adjective            -       Y       -       -

one                  numeral              Y       Y       Y       -

other                adjective            -       Y       -       -

over                 gcl word             -       -       -       -

palm                 noun                 -       -       -       -

parrot               noun                 -       -       -       -

part                 noun                 -       -       -       -

part of              gcl word             -       -       -       -

person               noun                 Y       Y       -       -

pig                  noun                 -       -       -       -

play                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

press                verb                 -       -       -       -

pull                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

push                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

rain                 noun                 Y       Y       -       -

red                  adjective            Y       Y       -       -

right (correct)      adjective            -       Y       -       -

right (hand side)    adjective            -       Y       -       -

ripe                 adjective            -       -       -       -

river                noun                 -       Y       -       -

road                 noun                 Y       Y       -       -

root                 noun                 Y       Y       -       -

rope                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

rotten               adjective            -       Y       -       -

round                adjective            Y       -       -       Y

rub                  verb                 -       Y       -       -

sad                  adjective            -       -       -       -

salt                 noun                 -       Y       Y       -

same                 adjective            -       -       -       -

sand                 noun                 Y       Y       -       -

say                  verb                 Y       Y       -       -

scratch (itch?)      verb                 -       Y       -       -

sea                  noun                 -       Y       -       -

see                  verb                 Y       Y       -       -

seed                 noun                 Y       Y       -       -

sell                 verb                 -       -       -       -

serve                verb                 -       -       -       -

seven                numeral              -       -       -       -

sew                  verb                 -       Y       -       -

shadow               noun                 -       -       -       -

sharp                adjective            -       Y       -       -

shoot                verb                 -       -       -       -

short                adjective            -       Y       -       Y

shoulder             noun                 -       -       -       -

sick                 adjective            -       -       -       -

sin                  noun                 -       -       -       -

sing                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

sister               noun                 -       -       -       -

sit                  verb                 Y       Y       -       -

six                  numeral              -       -       -       -

skin                 noun                 Y       Y       -       -

sky                  noun                 -       Y       -       -

sleep                verb                 Y       Y       -       -

small                adjective            Y       Y       -       -

smell                verb                 -       Y       -       -

smoke                noun                 Y       Y       -       -

smooth               adjective            -       Y       -       -

snake                noun                 -       Y       -       Y

snow                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

soft                 adjective            -       -       -       -

some                 gcl word             -       Y       -       -

son                  noun                 -       -       -       -

son                  noun                 -       -       -       -

speak                verb                 -       -       -       -

spear                noun                 -       -       -       -

spit                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

split                verb                 -       Y       -       -

squeeze              verb                 -       Y       -       -

stab, pierce         verb                 -       Y       -       -

stand                verb                 Y       Y       -       -

star                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

stick                noun                 -       Y       -       -

stone                noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

straight             adjective            -       Y       -       -

stretch              verb                 -       -       -       -

strong               adjective            -       -       -       -

suck                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

sun                  noun                 Y       Y       Y       -

sweet                adjective            -       -       -       -

sweet                adjective            -       -       -       -

sweet potato         noun                 -       -       -       -

swell                verb                 -       Y       -       -

swim                 verb                 Y       Y       -       Y

tail                 noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

take away            verb                 -       -       -       -

taste                verb                 -       -       -       -

tear                 noun                 -       -       -       -

ten                  numeral              -       -       -       -

that                 gcl word             Y       Y       -       -

there                gcl word             -       Y       -       -

they                 morpheme             -       Y       -       -

thick                adjective            -       Y       -       -

thin                 adjective            -       Y       -       Y

think                verb                 -       Y       -       -

this                 gcl word             Y       Y       Y       Y

thou (you s.)        gcl word             Y       Y       Y       Y

thousand             numeral              -       -       -       -

three                numeral              -       Y       -       -

throw                verb                 -       Y       -       -

tie                  verb                 -       Y       -       -

time (occasion)      noun                 -       -       -       -

tired                adjective            -       -       -       -

tongue               noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

tooth                noun                 Y       Y       Y       -

tree                 noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

true                 adjective            -       -       -       -

turn                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

twenty               numeral              -       -       -       -

two                  numeral              Y       Y       Y       Y

ugly                 adjective            -       -       -       -

up                   gcl word             -       -       -       -

very                 gcl word             -       -       -       -

vomit                verb                 -       Y       -       -

walk                 verb                 Y       Y       -       -

want                 verb                 -       -       -       -

wash                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

water                noun                 Y       Y       Y       Y

we (inclusive)       gcl word             Y       Y       -       Y

weave                verb                 -       -       -       -

week                 noun                 -       -       -       -

wet                  adjective            -       Y       -       -

what?                gcl word             Y       Y       Y       Y

wheel                noun                 -       -       -       -

when?                gcl word             -       Y       -       -

where?               gcl word             -       Y       -       -

which?               gcl word             -       -       -       -

white                adjective            Y       Y       -       Y

who?                 gcl word             Y       Y       Y       Y

wide                 adjective            -       Y       -       -

widow                noun                 -       -       -       -

wife                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

wind                 noun                 -       Y       Y       -

wine                 noun                 -       -       -       -

wing                 noun                 -       Y       -       -

winter               noun                 -       -       -       -

wipe                 verb                 -       Y       -       -

wise                 adjective            -       -       -       -

witch doctor         noun                 -       -       -       -

with                 gcl word             -       Y       -       -

wolf                 noun                 -       -       -       -

woman                noun                 Y       Y       -       Y

womb                 noun                 -       -       -       -

wood                 noun                 -       -       -       -

woods                noun                 -       Y       -       -

wool                 noun                 -       -       -       -

wool                 noun                 -       -       -       -

work                 verb                 -       -       -       -

world                noun                 -       -       -       -

worm                 noun                 -       Y       -       Y

wrap                 verb                 -       -       -       -

yawn                 verb                 -       -       -       -

ye  (you pl.)        gcl word             -       Y       -       -

year                 noun                 -       Y       Y       Y

yellow               adjective            Y       Y       -       Y

yes                  gcl word             -       -       -       -

yoke                 noun                 -       -       -       -

young                adjective            -       -       -       -

your                 gcl word             -       -       -       -

your (pl)            gcl word             -       -       -       -