Appendix:French Swadesh list
This is a Swadesh list of words in French, compared with definitions in English.
Presentation
[edit]- For further information, including the full final version of the list, read the Wikipedia article: Swadesh list.
American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.
List
[edit]№ | English | French Français edit (207) | IPA (key) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | I (1sg) | je | /ʒə/ |
2 | you (2sg) | tu (informal), vous (formal) | /ty/, /vu/ |
3 | he, she, it (3sg) | il (masculine), elle (feminine) | /il/, /ɛl/ |
4 | we (1pl) | nous | /nu/ |
5 | you (2pl) | vous | /vu/ |
6 | they (3pl) | ils (masculine), elles (feminine) | /il/, /ɛl/ |
7 | this | ceci | /sə.si/ |
8 | that | cela | /sə.la/ |
9 | here | ici | /i.si/ |
10 | there | là | /la/ |
11 | who | qui | /ki/ |
12 | what | quoi | /kwa/ |
13 | where | où | /u/ |
14 | when | quand | /kã/ |
15 | how | comment | /kɔ.mã/ |
16 | not | ne pas | /nə ... pɑ/ |
17 | all | tout | /tu/ |
18 | many | beaucoup | /bo.ku/ |
19 | some | quelques | /kelk/ |
20 | few | peu | /pø/ |
21 | other | autre | /otʁ/ |
22 | one | un | /œ̃/ |
23 | two | deux | /dø/ |
24 | three | trois | /tʁwɑ/ |
25 | four | quatre | /katʁ/ |
26 | five | cinq | /sɛ̃k/ |
27 | big | grand | /ɡʁã/ |
28 | long | long | /lõ/ |
29 | wide | large | /laʁʒ/ |
30 | thick | épais | /epɛ/ |
31 | heavy | lourd | /luʁ/ |
32 | small | petit | /pəti/ |
33 | short | court | /kuʁ/ |
34 | narrow | étroit | /etʁwa/ |
35 | thin | mince | /mɛ̃s/ |
36 | woman | femme | /fam/ |
37 | man (adult male) | homme | /ɔm/ |
38 | man (human being) | homme | /ɔm/ |
39 | child | enfant | /ɑ̃fɑ̃/ |
40 | wife | femme, épouse | /fam/, /epuz/ |
41 | husband | mari, époux | /maʁi/, /epu/ |
42 | mother | mère | /mɛʁ/ |
43 | father | père | /pɛʁ/ |
44 | animal | animal | /animal/ |
45 | fish | poisson | /pwasõ/ |
46 | bird | oiseau | /wazo/ |
47 | dog | chien | /ʃjɛ̃/ |
48 | louse | pou | /pu/ |
49 | snake | serpent | /sɛʁpɑ̃/ |
50 | worm | ver | /vɛʁ/ |
51 | tree | arbre | /aʁbʁ/ |
52 | forest | forêt | /fɔʁɛ/ |
53 | stick | bâton | /bɑtɔ̃/ |
54 | fruit | fruit | /fʁɥi/ |
55 | seed | graine | /ɡʁɛn/ |
56 | leaf | feuille | /fœj/ |
57 | root | racine | /ʁasin/ |
58 | bark (of a tree) | écorce | /ekɔʁs/ |
59 | flower | fleur | /flœʁ/ |
60 | grass | herbe | /ɛʁb/ |
61 | rope | corde | /kɔʁd/ |
62 | skin | peau | /po/ |
63 | meat | viande | /vjɑ̃d/ |
64 | blood | sang | /sɑ̃/ |
65 | bone | os | /ɔs/ |
66 | fat (noun) | graisse | /ɡʁɛs/ |
67 | egg | œuf | /œf/ |
68 | horn | corne | /kɔʁn/ |
69 | tail | queue | /kø/ |
70 | feather | plume | /plym/ |
71 | hair | cheveux | /ʃəvø/ |
72 | head | tête | /tɛt/ |
73 | ear | oreille | /ɔʁɛj/ |
74 | eye | œil | /œj/ |
75 | nose | nez | /ne/ |
76 | mouth | bouche | /buʃ/ |
77 | tooth | dent | /dɑ̃/ |
78 | tongue (organ) | langue | /lɑ̃ɡ/ |
79 | fingernail | ongle | /ɔ̃ɡl/ |
80 | foot | pied | /pje/ |
81 | leg | jambe | /ʒɑ̃b/ |
82 | knee | genou | /ʒənu/ |
83 | hand | main | /mɛ̃/ |
84 | wing | aile | /ɛl/ |
85 | belly | ventre | /vɑ̃tʁ/ |
86 | guts | entrailles, intestins | /ɑ̃tʁɑj/, /ɛ̃tɛstɛ̃/ |
87 | neck | cou | /ku/ |
88 | back | dos | /do/ |
89 | breast | sein, poitrine | /sɛ̃/, /pwatʁin/ |
90 | heart | cœur | /kœʁ/ |
91 | liver | foie | /fwɑ/ |
92 | to drink | boire | /bwɑʁ/ |
93 | to eat | manger | /mɑ̃ʒe/ |
94 | to bite | mordre | /mɔʁdʁ/ |
95 | to suck | sucer | /syse/ |
96 | to spit | cracher | /kʁaʃe/ |
97 | to vomit | vomir | /vɔmiʁ/ |
98 | to blow | souffler | /sufle/ |
99 | to breathe | respirer | /ʁɛspiʁe/ |
100 | to laugh | rire | /ʁiʁ/ |
101 | to see | voir | /vwaʁ/ |
102 | to hear | entendre | /ɑ̃tɑ̃dʁ/ |
103 | to know | savoir | /savwaʁ/ |
104 | to think | penser | /pɑ̃se/ |
105 | to smell | sentir | /sɑ̃tiʁ/ |
106 | to fear | craindre | /kʁɛ̃dʁ/ |
107 | to sleep | dormir | /dɔʁmiʁ/ |
108 | to live | vivre | /vivʁ/ |
109 | to die | mourir | /muʁiʁ/ |
110 | to kill | tuer | /tɥe/ |
111 | to fight | se battre | /səbatʁ/ |
112 | to hunt | chasser | /ʃase/ |
113 | to hit | frapper | /fʁape/ |
114 | to cut | couper | /kupe/ |
115 | to split | fendre | /fɑ̃dʁ/ |
116 | to stab | poignarder | /pwaɲaʁde/ |
117 | to scratch | gratter | /ɡʁate/ |
118 | to dig | creuser | /kʁøze/ |
119 | to swim | nager | /naʒe/ |
120 | to fly | voler | /vɔle/ |
121 | to walk | marcher | /maʁʃe/ |
122 | to come | venir | /vəniʁ/ |
123 | to lie (as in a bed) | s’étendre (action), être étendu (state) | /setɑ̃dʁ/, /ɛtʁetɑ̃dy/ |
124 | to sit | s’asseoir (action), être assis (state) | /saswaʁ/, /ɛtʁasi/ |
125 | to stand | se lever (action), se tenir debout (state) | /sələve/, /sətəniʁdəbu/ |
126 | to turn (intransitive) | tourner | /tuʁne/ |
127 | to fall | tomber | /tɔ̃be/ |
128 | to give | donner | /dɔne/ |
129 | to hold | tenir | /təniʁ/ |
130 | to squeeze | serrer | /seʁe/ |
131 | to rub | frotter | /fʁɔte/ |
132 | to wash | laver | /lave/ |
133 | to wipe | essuyer | /esɥije/ |
134 | to pull | tirer | /tiʁe/ |
135 | to push | pousser | /puse/ |
136 | to throw | jeter, lancer | /ʒəte/, /lɑ̃se/ |
137 | to tie | lier | /lje/ |
138 | to sew | coudre | /kudʁ/ |
139 | to count | compter | /kɔ̃te/ |
140 | to say | dire | /diʁ/ |
141 | to sing | chanter | /ʃɑ̃te/ |
142 | to play | jouer | /ʒwe/ |
143 | to float | flotter | /flɔte/ |
144 | to flow | couler | /kule/ |
145 | to freeze | geler | /ʒəle/ |
146 | to swell | gonfler | /ɡɔ̃fle/ |
147 | sun | soleil | /sɔlɛj/ |
148 | moon | lune | /lyn/ |
149 | star | étoile | /etwal/ |
150 | water | eau | /o/ |
151 | rain | pluie | /plɥi/ |
152 | river | rivière | /ʁivjɛʁ/ |
153 | lake | lac | /lak/ |
154 | sea | mer | /mɛʁ/ |
155 | salt | sel | /sɛl/ |
156 | stone | pierre | /pjɛʁ/ |
157 | sand | sable | /sabl/ |
158 | dust | poussière | /pusjɛʁ/ |
159 | earth | terre | /tɛʁ/ |
160 | cloud | nuage | /nɥaʒ/ |
161 | fog | brouillard | /bʁujaʁ/ |
162 | sky | ciel | /sjɛl/ |
163 | wind | vent | /vɑ̃/ |
164 | snow | neige | /nɛʒ/ |
165 | ice | glace | /ɡlas/ |
166 | smoke | fumée | /fyme/ |
167 | fire | feu | /fø/ |
168 | ash | cendre | /sɑ̃dʁ/ |
169 | to burn | brûler | /bʁyle/ |
170 | road | route | /ʁut/ |
171 | mountain | montagne | /mɔ̃taɲ/ |
172 | red | rouge | /ʁuʒ/ |
173 | green | vert | /vɛʁ/ |
174 | yellow | jaune | /ʒon/ |
175 | white | blanc | /blɑ̃/ |
176 | black | noir | /nwaʁ/ |
177 | night | nuit | /nɥi/ |
178 | day | jour | /ʒuʁ/ |
179 | year | an, année | /ɑ̃/, /ane/ |
180 | warm | chaud | /ʃo/ |
181 | cold | froid | /fʁwa/ |
182 | full | plein | /plɛ̃/ |
183 | new | nouveau, neuf | /nuvo/, /nœf/ |
184 | old | vieux | /vjø/ |
185 | good | bon | /bɔ̃/ |
186 | bad | mauvais | /movɛ/ |
187 | rotten | pourri | /puri/ |
188 | dirty | sale | /sal/ |
189 | straight | droit | /dʁwa/ |
190 | round | rond | /ʁɔ̃/ |
191 | sharp (as a knife) | tranchant | /tʁɑ̃ʃɑ̃/ |
192 | dull (as a knife) | émoussé | /emuse/ |
193 | smooth | lisse | /lis/ |
194 | wet | mouillé | /muje/ |
195 | dry | sec | /sɛk/ |
196 | correct | juste | /ʒyst/ |
197 | near | près | /pʁɛ/ |
198 | far | loin | /lwɛ̃/ |
199 | right | droite | /dʁwat/ |
200 | left | gauche | /ɡoʃ/ |
201 | at | à | /a/ |
202 | in | dans | /dɑ̃/ |
203 | with | avec | /avɛk/ |
204 | and | et | /e/ |
205 | if | si | /si/ |
206 | because | parce que | /paʁsəkə/ |
207 | name | nom | /nɔ̃/ |
- Pronunciation :
The pronunciation shown is the standard pronunciation in France. Depending on the speakers and the area, the actual pronunciation may differ, more or less significantly, from the shown pronunciation.
References
[edit]- Français-Anglais/English-French Dictionary, Robert & Collins, Glasgow, Paris - →ISBN
Further reading
[edit]- French-English French-English dictionaries (Lexilogos)
- Multilanguage dictionary
- Wiktionary : Swadesh list
- Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary)