The following list of Proto-Talodi reconstructions is from Norton & Alaki (2015: 129-157).
| Gloss | Proto-Talodi | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| autonym | *-ʊwa | |
| homeland | *t-ʊwa | |
| people | *a-d-ʊwa | |
| person | *p-a-d-ʊwa | |
| language | *ɡ-a-d-ʊwa | |
| animal | thing (*-ɪrɔk) | |
| arm | *ʊ-ɡʷɪn / ɲə- ‘hand’ ( / *ɲ-a-wɪn); *CL-amman (or *...n̪) (*k- / 0-,*c- / k-) | |
| ash | *k-ə-rɔk (*m-ə-ɟuk) < smoke | |
| back | *c-ə-kkɔḷɔk / m-; *k-ə-ɟuḍ / 0- | |
| bark (of tree) | *t-ə-mək / n-; *CL-ḍi | |
| belly | *ca-rək / kə- | |
| bird | *pu-ḍəbɛ / a | cf. thing |
| blood | *ŋ-ɪccʊk | |
| bone | *c-ə-mma-ɲan̪ / m- | |
| breast | *c-ə-mmik / k- | |
| brother, sister | *ɔ-ba-ŋ / -ɛn̪ | PERS-CL:sibling-KIN |
| chest | *CL-ɛdɛ | |
| chicken | *t-̪ akkəḷʊk / ḷ- | |
| child | *(ʊ)-ɡʊḷ / ɲə- | |
| chin | *CL-aḷəmɔn̪ | |
| claw | *k-adəḷɪ / 0- | |
| clothes | (*k-ɛrɛt̪ / 0-,n-); (*t-ad̪ɪ-a / n-) | |
| cloud | *tʊ-t̪t̪ɛ / nə- | |
| cow / cows | *w-aɪ / *k-ie | |
| day | (*c-aḷɪ / m-) (sun) | |
| dog | *t̪-ʊk / ḷ- | |
| door | *k-ə-d̪ət̪ / 0-,n- | |
| drum | (*p-ambaŋ) | |
| dust | *t-ə-ḍʊ(-baŋ) | |
| ear | *k-ɛnu / 0- | |
| egg | *c-ɪn / m- (*c-u-ɪn / m-) | |
| elephant | *ʊ-mad̪ɔn / kə- (or *...n̪) | |
| eye | *c-it / k- | |
| family | (*kʊ-ḍɪ) | |
| fat | *ŋ-ak | |
| father | *appa; *ɔ-pə-d̪ɛ-ŋ | PERS-CL-father-KIN / -ɛn̪, (k-) |
| feather | *k-ə-ktɪ̪ c / 0- | |
| field: far-field locative | *k-ə-bɔn̪ / 0-; *ɪ-ppɔn̪ | |
| field: house-field locative | *k-ə-dək / 0-; *ɪ-ttək | |
| finger | *c-a-wɪn / m- < hand; (*c-aɡət / ɲ-) | |
| fire | *t-̪ ɪk / ḷ- | |
| fish | *k-a-bɛ / 0- < thing | |
| flower | *(kɔ-)ḍɛn, (*tʊ̪ - / ḷə-) | |
| fly | *CL-ḷak | |
| fog | (*p-ə-lʊɟɛ, *p-ə-ɟʊlɛ) | |
| food | *tʊ̪ -ḷɪ; (*mə-ccak) | |
| foot | *t-Ə-ma-ɟɛ / n- | CL-bone-give |
| forehead | *c-ə-d̪uC / m- (C=t or c) | |
| fruit | child (*c-ʊḍʊ / m-) | |
| gazelle | (*CL-nɛ) (*CL-ambʊḷɛ) | |
| giraffe | *ɪɡɛ / k- | |
| goat / goats | *u-mit̪ / (kə-); *ḷə-ɟɔk | |
| God | (*mɪ) | |
| grass | *t-ʊḍʊk; (*t-a-ɟɔ) < bite | |
| guts | *t-uk / n- | |
| hair | *CL-ŋən̪; (*t-ə- / n-ə-); (*kʊ- / ʊ-) | |
| hand | *ʊ-ɡʷɪn / ɲə-; (*k-attal / 0- ‘palm’?) | |
| head | *c-ac / m- | |
| heart | *c-ə-ɡit / m- | |
| hoe | (*k-irɛk / 0-) | |
| hole | *CL-bʊ; (*c- / m-,*t- / n-) | |
| honey | (*ŋ-ə-dɛ); (*a-ʊn,*a-ɡɔŋ ‘bees’) | |
| horn | *tu̪ -biḍ / ḷə- | |
| house | *man̪, *k-ʊmən̪ ‘compound’ | |
| husband | *p-ə-ḷɛc / a- | |
| knee | *k-ə-ŋɡʊc / 0-,n | |
| knife | #k-iḷdaŋ / 0-,n- (Nubian) | |
| lake | *c-ə-bə | |
| leaf | *t-att̪ a̪ / n- | |
| leg / legs | *w-(ɛ)k / *t-a-ɟɔk < goats | |
| leopard | (*p-ɛd̪ɛ / 0-); (*t-úməŋ / n-) | |
| liver | *tʊ̪ -ŋɡɛ / ḷə- | |
| louse | *k-iḷi / 0-; *CL-dɛ | |
| nalyre | *p-ɛrɛn-p-ɛrɛn / 0- 0- | |
| man | *c-ʊda / m-; *p-a-ḷɪt ̪ / yas | modifiers of ‘person’ |
| meat | *a-bəc / kə- | |
| milk | *ŋʊ-i | |
| moon | *kʷ-anɔk / 0- | cf. wells |
| mother | *ɔ-pə-nɛ-ŋ PERS-CL-father-KIN-ɛn̪, (k-) | |
| mountain | *c-ə-ḷɔŋ / m- | |
| mouth | *t-̪ ɔn̪ / ḷ- | |
| nail | *k-ə-dɛ-dɛ / 0-; (*-ʊŋ-) | |
| name | *k-ə-ḷəŋan / 0- (or *...n̪) | |
| neck | *c-ə-ndək / k- | |
| nose | *k-ə-ɲɟɛ / 0-,n- | |
| ostrich | *p-urut / 0- | |
| pebble | *k-aḍa / 0-; *c-ə-dɔŋ / m- | |
| person | *p-ʊḷʊ,-ʊḷ / 0- | |
| pig | *t-ə-tt̪ ə̪ ruk / n- | |
| pot | (*k-ʊmmʊk / 0-); (*k-ə-bɛ / n-) | < thing |
| rain | (*k-abɪk); (*p-ə-nɛ) | |
| river | (*t-ʊwɛ / n-); (*t-̪ a-bə / ḷ-) < lake; (*k-ɛllu,-ullu) | cf. lake |
| road | *k-att̪ ɪ̪ ḷ / 0- | |
| root | *tʊ̪ -ɡac / ḷə- | |
| rope | *t-̪ ɔḷək / ḷ- | |
| salt | (*ŋʊ-ɟəl); (*cəl-a) | |
| sand | (*k-amʊr); (*CL-ʊɲɛ) | |
| scorpion | *k-inu / 0- | |
| seed | (*c-ɔdɛ / m-) | |
| shadow | *p-(ʊ)-nək | |
| sheep | *tʊ̪ -ŋɡat ̪ / ḷə- | |
| shoe | *kʷ-ɔk / (0-,w-) | |
| skin | *k-ɛd̪u / 0- (*k-ʊḷat ̪ / 0-) | |
| sky | *tɪ̪ (-ḷɔt)̪ (*kə-də-mɪ) | CL-LOC-God |
| smoke | *u-ɟuk | |
| snake | *pə-nɪḷ / a- | |
| spear | *k-att̪ ʊ̪ k / 0- | |
| star | *c-ɔd̪ɔt ̪ / m- | |
| stick | *CL-dəŋ; (*pə- / a-); (or *...n̪) | |
| stone | *CL-d̪ɔk; (*c- / m-,*t- / n-) | |
| stool | *k-ə-lɛ / 0- | |
| sun | *c-ə-ŋɡi / m- | |
| tail | *CL-d̪ik; (*d̪u- / ḷə-); (*ku- / u-) | |
| thigh | *c-in / m- thing; (*CL-bɛ / aḷə-); (*pa-bu / aḷə-); (*yaŋ sg=pl) | |
| thorn | *t-̪ i / ḷ- | |
| tongue | *tʊ̪ -ləŋɛ / ḷə- | |
| tooth | *c-ə-ɲit / k- | |
| tortoise | *k-ə-ḍɔḷ / 0- | |
| tree | *p-ɪda / k- | |
| uncle (maternal) | *ɔ-lɛ-ŋ / -ɛn̪ | |
| vegetable | *ɟɪ | as a modifier of ‘thing’ |
| village | *CL-ʊmman̪, *CL-ʊwa | < house |
| water | *ŋ-ɪḷ,-ɪḷɪ | |
| well locative | *t-ɔk / n- | |
| wife | *p-adɪ / 0- | |
| wind | *k-a-naŋ cf. breathe; (*k-u) | |
| wing | (*k-ʊḷʊccʊ / 0-); (*k-ʊbɪ / 0-) | |
| woman | wife as a modifier of ‘person’ | |
| woods | LOC-trees | |
| word / speech | mouths | |
| worm | *t-ə-ŋək / n- | |
| year | *tʊ̪ -bʊt ̪ / ḷə- | |
| bite | *kə-ḍɔ | cf. burn |
| bite | *kə-ɟɔ | cf. grass |
| blow | *ɡʊ; *a-bɔ-dɔ | |
| breathe | *k-ə-naŋ ‘breath’ | |
| burn | *kə-ḍ(ɛ) | cf. bite |
| come | *aɟɔ | |
| come imp. | *aḷɛkǃ; (*aɡʊ!) | |
| cook | *mɪd̪a | cf. swell |
| cook | *anɔ | cf. burn |
| count | *ŋand(ɛ) | |
| cut | *m(ɛ); *ɡɪ | |
| dance | *ʊd-ɡɔ | |
| die | *ɪŋɔ | |
| dig | *(ɪ-)bɔ; (*ci-ɡʊ-) | |
| drink | (*ɪC)-ɡɔ; (*i)-ɡɔ < *ib-ɡɔ | cf. spit |
| eat | *ḷə-ɡɔ | |
| fall | *a-bɔ | cf. hit |
| fear | *d̪ɪ | *rɛ |
| fight | *bɪ-ttɔ < hunt | |
| flow | *ʊnda | |
| fly | *pir(u) | |
| give | (*ɟɛ) | |
| give imp. | *n̪-d̪ɛǃ | |
| go | *ɲɔ (*aʊ) | |
| go imp. | *ŋ-ɡɔǃ | |
| have | *na~*nʊ | |
| hear | *cɪ-ɡɔ-t ̪ | |
| hit | *kə-bɔ,-ḍɪɲ | cf. fall, squeeze |
| hunt | *ŋɛ; *bɪ-dɔ; *kə-mɛḷ | |
| kill | *kə-bɔ-t̪ | < hit (fall) |
| know | *V-na | < have |
| laugh | *c-V-lɔ | |
| lie (down) | *(i-,ŋ-)ɟa-t ̪ | |
| live; (be alive) | *n̪-d̪-(ɡ)-a,-dɔ | cf. swell |
| play | (*kə-ḍV) | |
| pull | *d̪V | |
| push | *d̪ɪ (*ŋ) | |
| rub | *ɡɪ-b-dɔ | |
| say | *ɪ-ḷɛ; (*mmɔ) | |
| scratch | *kə,cə-r(a-ɡɔ); *kə,cə-b(ɛ) | cf. rub |
| see | *ḍə-mɛ,*ɪ-ma; (*ɡɪ) | |
| sew | (*mi); (*ŋa-t ̪< stab) | |
| shoot | *rɔ (*ra-) | < throw |
| sing | *cə-ŋɔ | |
| sit | *ḍ-ɡɔ (> *ɪ-kkɔ); (*dəŋɔ); (*ku) | |
| sleep | *ɪn-d̪ɛ; (*mə-d̪ɛ) | |
| smell | *ɡʊna-ɡɔ | < rotten |
| speak | (*ɛlɛ); (*ɟɛ-mmɔ) 'give-say' | |
| spit | *d̪ʊb,*d̪ib-ɡɔ | |
| split | *ɪlla | |
| squeeze | *ḷu-ɡɔ; *kə-ḍɪɲɔ | cf. hit |
| stab | *ŋa | cf. sew |
| stand | *ɟɔḷɔ | |
| suck | *m-ʊ-a-ɡɔ | |
| swell | (*ŋɪ); *d̪a; *ɡ(a) | |
| swim | *mənV | |
| take | *n(ɛ-ɡɔ); (*mɔ) | |
| think | *ɲɟə-kka | |
| throw | *r(ɛ); (*uɟɔ) | |
| tie | *ɪ-ḷɪ-ɡɔ; (*mə-ḍə) | |
| turn | *b-dɪ-tta-ɡɔ | |
| vomit | *uk-dɛ | |
| walk | *ɲa(-dɔ); (*cə-ppɔ) | |
| wash | *ɪm(ɛ); (*kɔ-ɟi) < wet | |
| wipe | *kʊɪ; (*mʊ-dɔ) | |
| work | *dɛ(-ɡɔ); *(ɛ)́ kkɔ | |
| black | *-ɲi | |
| white | *-ɪbʊc; (*-ɪbʊk) | |
| red | *-ḍɛ | |
| green | *-ccɪ,*-ɪ-ccɪ | |
| blue | (*-lɪ) | |
| blue | (*-tt̪i̪) | cf. sky |
| brown | *ɲ-itt̪a̪ ‘mud’ | |
| grey | (*-bɔ-bɔ) | |
| left (-hand) | *ɡulɛ | |
| right (-hand) | *dɪɲ | |
| right; (correct) | =good | |
| wrong | *-ɡi-d̪a-ɡɔ | cf. bad, badly |
| wrong | *-ɪɟa | cf. right, really |
| good | (*-bədɔt); (right-hand) | |
| bad | *-ɡi | |
| sharp | *-rɛ or *ḷɛ | |
| blunt | *-ru or *ḷu; (*-mun̪d̪V) | |
| clean | *-ḷɪ | |
| dirty | (=black); (*ŋ-ə-ḷɪc ‘dirt’) | |
| rough | *-dɛ(-ḍa) | |
| smooth | *-ɲəla | |
| round | *-cəḍʊt; -ḷamɪɟa-ɡɔ | |
| straight | *-ɟɔḷɔ-t̪; (< stand) | |
| rotten | *-ɡuna; (> *-kuna-gɔ); (> *-ɡuḷa) | |
| fresh | =new | |
| new | (*-ɪḷɛ); (*-a-ɟɛ) < give | |
| old; (not new) | *-ɪbɛ; (> *-bɪ) | |
| young | (*-ʊḷɪt)̪ | cf. man |
| young | (*-d̪-ummə) | NEG-big |
| old (not young) | (*-mɔccɔ); (*p-d̪-ʊḷɪt ̪ / a-) CL-NEG-young | |
| old (not young) | *k-ə-llaŋ | ‘old woman’ |
| big | *-uttik; (*-ummə) | |
| small | *-ttɛ | |
| many (=big) | (*d̪ʊ-bɔt) | NEG-few? |
| few | =small | |
| thick | *-ir | |
| thin | *-rəna-t̪; (> *-arrɛ) | |
| heavy | *-immən̪ | |
| light | *-ba-RED-t > (*-ɪ-ppa-ppa-t); (*-bʊ-ppʊ-k) | |
| wide | *-appa-t̪; (> *-appɛ) | |
| narrow | *-ʊmmʊn̪ | |
| long | *-ʊccɛ-t̪; *-ʊwɪ-t | |
| short | *-t̪t̪u-t̪; (*RED-,*ŋə-) | |
| far | *cɪt̪ta̪n̪ | cf. *cɪk down |
| near | *t̪t̪ʊ-t̪ < short | |
| cold | (*-ɪrʊk); (*-itt̪ i̪ ŋ) | |
| warm | *-ɪ-ppa | cf. full |
| warm | (*-uɟu) | cf. smoke |
| empty | *-n̪d̪ɔ; (*-ɲɟʊ-k) | |
| full | *-d̪ʊ-ba-t̪ | NEG-light-LOC |
| dry | *-n̪d̪ɔ-mat | empty-... |
| wet | *-ɟɪt | |
| one | *C-əlləkkʊ or *C-əllʊk(kʊ), *C-ʊllʊk(kʊ)? | |
| two | *C-ɛḍac | |
| three | (C-two-one); (*C-ətt̪ ə̪ k) | |
| four | (*C-ɔɟɔḍɪn); (*bəḍandɔ) | |
| five | one hand | |
| six | (two-five) | |
| seven | (two-six) | |
| eight | (four-four) | |
| nine | one hand and four | |
| ten | *a-ttuḷ; (*a-CCɪ) | |
| all | *a-ppəḍ(ɪ); *a-cc(ʊ)k | |
| firstborn son | *kʊ | |
| fourthborn son | *(ŋa-)t̪t̪uɲ | |
| firstborn daughter | *kakka(ʊ) | |
| thirdborn daughter | *(kɔ)-ccɛ | |
| fourthborn daughter | *ŋɔḍɪn | |
| fifthborn daughter | *kumaŋ | |
| I | *ɔ-ŋ-ɪn̪ | |
| you (sg) | *ɔ-ŋ-aŋ; *ɔ-ŋ-ʊŋ | |
| you (sg)-&-I | *ɔ-ŋɔ-tɪt | |
| he / she | *ɔ-ŋ-ɔk | |
| we | *ɔ-ŋɔ-nin | |
| you (pl) | *ɔ-ŋɔ-nɔn | |
| you (pl)-&-I | *ɔ-ŋɔ-tɪt-nɔn | -12sg-2pl |
| they | *ɔ-ŋ-ɡɪn | |
| my | *C-ɪn̪ | |
| your (sg) | *C-aŋ | |
| your (sg)-&-my | *Cɔ-tɪt | |
| his / her | *C-ʊŋ | |
| our | *C-nin | |
| your (pl) | *C-nɔn | |
| your (pl)-&-my | *Cɔ-tɪt-nɔn | |
| their | *C-ɡɛn | |
| who? | *ɔ(ŋ)-p-t̪ɪ | PERS-CL-INT |
| who? pl. | who?-PL | |
| what? | *yɪ(-ɡa); *ŋ-ɪ-m-tɪ̪ | |
| when? | *m-aɟ-ɔn | |
| where? | *kədɛ | |
| which? | *C-ɪa | |
| this (by me) | *ɛN-C-i | |
| that (by you) | (*C-ɛŋ) | |
| that (medial) | *C-ə-rik | |
| that (medial) | *C-ə-rik | |
| down | *cɪk | |
| on it | *nan, *dan | ‘to / from it’ |
| in it | *tit | |
| daylight | LOC-sun | |
| night | *ŋɡɔḷa | |
| today | *ɪ-nɛna (this sun) | |
| tomorrow | *ŋɔrɔt | |
| yesterday | *m-(ɛ)ccin | |
| long ago | *ʊb(ɪ) | |
| here | *i-nɛ | |
| there | < *i-nɛ 'here'; (*-t̪- down); (*-t- up) | |
| quickly | *CL-ɡɔt-RED | |
| slowly | *CL-ccɛ; (or -ccɛɲ) | |
| really | *iɟa-RED-t̪ | |
| well | (LOC-good) | |
| badly | (LOC-bad) | |
| very | cf. *nan 'on it'; (*CL-ḍɪŋ) |