The following Proto-Southwest Surmic and Proto-Southeast Surmic recostructions are from Yigezu (2001: 316-334).[1]
| English gloss | Proto-Southwest Surmic | Proto-Southeast Surmic |
|---|---|---|
| all | *vɛlɛɛk | |
| animal | *kɛlɛɠ | *kɛg- |
| arm | *iɓʌʌ | |
| arrow | *lʌʌn | *lagun |
| ashes | *bur | *bur |
| ask | *dʒin | |
| axe | *mɛlɛɛk | *ɓej |
| back | *ɓagu | |
| bad | *ɠɛrða (?) | *gɛrsi |
| bark of tree | *ɓɔlɔɔk | |
| basket | *ɗoŋook | *kanta- |
| be rotten | *-mmʊ- | *mudʒː- |
| beard | *tʃʌmun | *tʃɔrɛ |
| beat | *rʊk | |
| bee | *miggow- | *sissa |
| beer | *mɛrttɛ | |
| belly | *kɛŋŋa | *kɛŋo |
| big | *tʃobbi | *bui |
| bird | *kiɓʌlli- | *ʃɔwa |
| bite | *ɗag- | *-ŋit- |
| black | *kolli (?) | *kɔrɔj |
| blood | *ɓɪj- | *ɲaɓa |
| blow (wind) | *ʌɓu | |
| blow (wth mouth) | *tʊɓ | *taɓaj- |
| boat (canoe) | *goŋgul | |
| body | *ɛlɛ | *rɛɛ |
| bone | *ɛmmɛ | *giga (?) |
| boy | *ɗol- | |
| break | *ɗul- | |
| breast | *kɛ-ɛðði (?) | *waddi |
| brother | *gɔttɔna | |
| buffalo | *kʊðʊwan | *nɛɓi |
| build | *tɛɛgɛɲ | |
| burn (trans.) | *tuð- | |
| bury | *ɗaa | |
| buttocks | *ŋeɲ | |
| buy | *tal- | *tal- |
| calabash | *gussi | |
| call | *t̪ʊvv- | |
| carry | *ɗɔŋ- | *tɛj- |
| cat | *ɓurrʌ | |
| catch | *gamm- | *gam- |
| charcoal | *ðɔlɔmɔ | *kolu (?) |
| chicken | *tʊgʊllʊ- | |
| chief | *alaan | *komoru |
| child | *ɗole | |
| children | *ɗoli | |
| chin | *tʃamun (?) | |
| climb | *tɔɗ- | *-ruk- |
| close | *ɲʊgg- | *ɲuk |
| cloth(es) | *-rum | |
| cloud | *ɗiið- | *iɗo |
| cold (of air) | *-lʌl- | |
| come | *idʒː- | *wɔŋ- |
| cook | *ak- | *ak- |
| cooking pot | *idʒːo | *dʒuu |
| corpse (sprit) | *miniŋ- | |
| count | *kɛɛɓ-; *tiɠil- | |
| cow | *taŋa | *bi |
| crocodile | *kuɠul | |
| cut | *tɛɛɗ- | *tɛŋgɛɗ- |
| dance | *rʊggʊm | |
| darkness | *mʊggʊr | *kɔrɔj |
| day | *wat̪ | |
| defecate | *t̪ɛl- | |
| descend | *luutʃː- | |
| die | *ɗʌk | |
| dig | *ɓɔk- | |
| divide | *ŋɛr | *ŋɛr- |
| dog | *(kʊ)rʊð (?) | *rosso |
| donkey | *ðiggir | |
| door | *(ka)t̪t̪ʊk | *t̪ut̪t̪u |
| dream | *kono- (?) | |
| drink (v.) | *kʊɗ- | *ir-; *mat- |
| dry | *-ɗɔg(ɔg)- | |
| dry season | *tʌggið | |
| dust | *tudugga- | *tɛri |
| ear | *it̪t̪at | *ɲabi (?) |
| earth | *lootʃ | *ɓa (?) |
| eat | *ɗak- | |
| egg | *ɓʊʊrʊ (pl.) | *ɓurrai |
| eight | *turge | *isse |
| elephant | *ɔŋŋɔl | *ŋɔrɔ |
| eye | *kɛɓɛrɛ (pl.) | *kabari |
| face | *ŋʊʊma | *mumo |
| fall | *-ttaað- | |
| fat | *ɗig- | *-iɗiɓen- |
| father | *babba | *babba |
| fear | *ŋolin- (?) | |
| feather | *kavʊr- (?) | |
| female | *ŋadʒːa | *ŋahi |
| fighting | *rug- (?) | |
| finish (intr.) | *ɗɛtʃ- (?) | |
| fire | *ɠuo | *go |
| firewood | *rimmatʃ | |
| fish | *kulugg- | |
| five | *tur | *hatʃ’anaŋ |
| fly | *kiroŋ- | |
| follow | *nʊʊ (?) | |
| food | *ʌɣʌt | *t’ila |
| foot | *ðootʃ | *dʒagari |
| four | *wetʃ | *wuʃ |
| friend | *gɔnna | |
| frog | *dɔlmɛ | |
| full | *ɓɪtt- (?) | |
| get | *dʒɔa | |
| girl | *ɓʊgɛɛ- | |
| give | *ʌɲik- | *ʔajin- |
| go | *ɓɪt̪t̪- | *og- |
| goat | *ɛɛð | *tɔŋɔ |
| God | *t̪ammu | *t̪ummo |
| good | *-bbunnʌ | |
| grass | *(k)ʌrtten- | |
| grind | *rɛk- | *ŋɔɲ- |
| grinding stone | *golu | |
| guest (stranger) | *-(k)ɛrɛnɪɔg- | *kɔmɔn- |
| hair | *immʌ | *tʃ’ɔrɛ |
| hand | *ʌððit | *sijo |
| hard | *-kkɔmm- | *ɗalɗali |
| hat | *gardʒu | |
| head | *ɔɔwa | *sabba |
| hear | *ðik- | *ʃig- |
| heart | *ðini- | |
| heavy | *-ɗiŋɗiŋ- | *ɗiŋɗiŋi |
| hit (of fight) | *rʊk- | |
| hoe | *kɔlɪja- | *gaita |
| hold | *gam- | |
| horn | *ot̪t̪on | *k’erdʒe |
| hot (as fire) | *-bbur- | |
| house | *tʃeeð (?) | |
| hunger | *mʌggið | *poso |
| husband | *maatʃːa | |
| I | *anɛɛtta | *aɲɲe |
| iron | *ðiigit | |
| kill | *rʊk- | |
| knee | *kʊðʊŋ | *k’ommi |
| knife | *kaɓað | *warra |
| know | *ɠaa- | *tak- |
| laugh | *t̪arar- | *tʃ’ɛk- |
| leaf | *ɓʌllog- | |
| left | *kʌŋettit | *kaŋgit (?) |
| leg | *ðootʃ | |
| leopard | *kɛɛlaŋ | *kɛrɛŋ |
| lie | *vɔlɔŋ | |
| lie down | *taŋu | *tuŋ- |
| like | *-ɗiimi- | |
| liver | *ɲɔɔ | *tarra |
| lizard | *lobbor- | |
| long | *wuun | *rammi |
| look | *tʃin- | |
| louse | *iɲatt- | |
| maize | *k’ormoʃo | |
| male | *-maatʃː- | *matʃ’ |
| man | *eet | |
| many | *mɛɛlɛ | *meri |
| meat | *iɗiŋ | *atʃuk |
| milk | *ira | *uro |
| millet | *liba | |
| moon | *ɲVlVk | *tag- |
| mosquito | *lVVnit (?) | |
| mother | *jʌj (?) | |
| mouth | *(k)-ʊt̪t̪ʊk | *tuk- |
| nail (finger or toe) | *vallag- | |
| name | *ðara | *sara |
| navel | *kuɗuvit | |
| neck | *iɲɲa | *ŋo |
| new | *ŋedʒːuk | *tʃagi |
| night | *ɓʌlin | *ɓal- |
| nine | *tɔrkkɔwɔ | *sakkal |
| nose | *ʊŋɛtʃ (?) | *giroŋ |
| one | *koɗoi (?) | |
| open (door) | *ʔow- (?) | |
| other | *ʊmma (?) | |
| penis | *lɔggɔttɔ | |
| people | *eetta | *zug- |
| person | *eet | *hiri |
| play (games) | *mɪtʃ- (?) | |
| pour | *ɗutt- | |
| pull | *tʊgʊr | |
| rain | *t̪ammu | *gujo |
| rainy season | *ʔojo | |
| red | *marɪk | *goloɲi |
| refuse | *ɓʊr- | *kamar- |
| return (intr.) | *ɓɔɗ- | |
| road | *ɠɔɔl | *gɔrɔ |
| roast | *-vaɗ- (?) | |
| robe | *am- | |
| root | *-ggero- | |
| run | *vir- | |
| saliva | *ammʊt̪t̪a- | *mɔɗ |
| salt | *tʃoji (?) | |
| sand | *kaðatʃ- | *kassa- |
| say | *ɗʊg- | |
| see | *tʃɪn- | |
| seed | *kiɲVmV- | *dugui |
| sell | *t̪al- | *tal- |
| send | *-t̪t̪on (?) | *-t̪ono- (?) |
| seven | *tʊrgɛrɛm | *issaɓaj |
| sew | *t̪ʊll | *tʃVk- |
| sheep | *ʌðeet | *mɛddɛrɛ |
| shoes | *tʃʌʌvit | *tʃaha |
| shoot | *edʒː- | |
| short | *kut̪t̪urʌ | *mɔkkɔɲɲi |
| show | *jelek | *ɗol- |
| sing | *ɓɛn- | |
| sister | *ŋɔɔna | *ŋVŋV |
| sit | *ʌvu | |
| six | *tɔrkɔnɔm | *ille |
| skin | *rutʃːen- | *ɛri |
| sleep | *taŋŋ- | *tuŋ- |
| small | *kɪɗɪtʃː- | *ɗiini (?) |
| smoke (n.) | *ɓurr- | *ɓurre |
| smoke (v.) | *kuɗ- | |
| snake | *kʊkkaat | *kono |
| sow (seeds in holes) | *dug- | |
| spear | *ɗilla | *pɛr |
| spit | *t̪ʊr | *t̪uh- |
| split (tr.) | *pak | *pɛl- |
| stand | *ɓɪll- | |
| star | *mVɲV | *muɲuɲ- |
| steal | *ɠɔrɔð | *gVrV |
| stomach | *kɛɛŋa | |
| stone | *ɓɛɛ | *bV |
| sun | *kɔr | *suC (?) |
| sun shine | *kɔr | |
| swallow | *kʊk | *k’udʒ- (?) |
| sweep | *tivil (?) | |
| swell (intr.) | *(k)iivi (?) | |
| tail | *kuullʌ | *kuro (?) |
| take | *ɓitt- | |
| taste | *t̪ar- | *tar- |
| tear | *rɛɛtʃː- | |
| tell | *ɗug- | |
| ten | *ɔmɔtto | *t̪ɔmmɔn |
| thief | *-ggorijʌ- | |
| thigh | *aðan | *san |
| thorn | *ɓVlle- | *ɓirni |
| thou | *iɲɲV | |
| three | *ijjo | *sizzi |
| thirst | *arukkɔr | |
| tie | *tʃɛɓ- | *tʃ’eb- |
| tobacco | *pʌbbu | *dampu |
| tongue | *ʌgʌʌt | *kat |
| tooth | *ɲiggɪtta | *ɲigidda (?) |
| tortoise | *dolɛttɛ; *kɔkɔlɔ | |
| touch (with hand) | *kʊm (?) | |
| tree | *kɛɛt̪ | *kɛdo (?) |
| two | *ramma | *ramman |
| untie | *ɔgg- | *ɔg- |
| urinate | *ðol- | *ʃoro- |
| urine | *ðɔlɔ | *ʃorra |
| vomit | *taððak | *-har- |
| vulture | *kɔɗɔp (?) | |
| walk | *tɔɔ | |
| wall (of house) | *ɗillʌt | |
| war | *kaman | |
| warm | *aggiɲɣiɲi | |
| wash | *tʊɲ- | *t̪oɲ- |
| water | *maam | *ma |
| we | *aggetta | *agge |
| weep | *t̪ʊll- | *t̪ur- |
| what? | *ɲaa (?) | |
| white | *vɔɔr | *hɔli |
| who? | *ŋVnV | |
| wind | *ŋɔɔt̪ | *ŋojɔ (?) |
| wing | *tʌbbʌtʃːo- | |
| word | *ðɔɔð | |
| work | *tiitʃ (?) | |
| you (pl.) | *aggitta (?) |