z
z v. to smell bad sentir mauvais (5 groups, 16 languages) A The root sense of this verb is 'to smell rotten'. The change *z→ⁿdz in Proto-Daba is irregular. 1Proto-Daba *ⁿdzɨ ʸ smell sentir 1.1) Gavar...
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zaj n. faeces selles (5 groups, 18 languages) A syn: ɣʷɨvi, ᵑgʷɨ. This root is largely stable, except for the loss of *j in a few languages. It is found in the languages around the Northern Mandara...
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ziᵑgʷa n. donkey âne (8 groups, 22 languages) B syn: koro, ᵐburi. This is one of three common roots for 'donkey'. It is found in the languages of the Mandara Mountains. It is one of the few roots...
View Articlezɨɗɨr ʸ
zɨɗɨr ʸ nm. man, husband homme mâle, mari (6 groups, 21 languages) B cf: ⁿdɨw. The basic sense of this root is a male human, and is extended to include the concept 'husband'. The change *z→s in...
View Articlezɨgʷɨn
zɨgʷɨn n. child enfant (6 groups, 17 languages) C This root is difficult to reconstruct. The initial *z is stable, though it metathesises with *gʷ in Proto-Mandara and Proto-Lamang, which is an...
View Articlezɨjɨl
zɨjɨl n. lion lion (4 groups, 6 languages) B syn: lɨvari, mabor. This is one of several roots for 'lion'. *l is reconstructed even though *l did not exist in Proto-Central Chadic. The word must be a...
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zɨm v. to eat manger (15 groups, 38 languages) B cf: hʷɨpɨɗ. This is the generic verb for eating. There is a regular change *z→s in Proto-Margi, and separately in the North Kotoko-Musgum major group...
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zɨᵐbʷiɗ nm. navel nombril (8 groups, 23 languages) B This root is attested in a wide distribution of languages. In most respects, this root behaves in a regular fashion. The changes *z→s in...
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zɨrwa ʸ n. shame honte (6 groups, 10 languages) B syn: hʷaraj. This is one of two widespread roots for 'shame'. It is found primarily in languages of the North sub-branch. The changes *z→s in...
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zɨwɨɗ ʸ n. string corde (12 groups, 30 languages) A The basic meaning of this root is string or rope made from the bark of a sapling or another natural substance. There were regular changes *z→s in...
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