Part of
In Hot Pursuit of Language in Prehistory: Essays in the four fields of anthropologyEdited by John D. Bengtson
[Not in series 145] 2008
► pp. 57–148
Edited by John D. Bengtson
[Not in series 145] 2008
► pp. 57–148
Lexicostatistical comparison of Omotic languages
The taxonomy of the Omotic language family is thoroughly analyzed. The hypotheses of “West Cushitic” vs. a “Cushomotic” super-branch, vs. separating Omotic as the sixth branch of Afroasiatic (Fleming) are compared. Earlier classifications of the Omotic family are presented, followed by the author’s version based on S.A. Starostin’s variant of glottochronology. According to the latter the North/South Omotic disintegration can be dated to the beginning of the 5th mill. BC. Borrowings can be distinguished from inherited lexicon, though often one can only speculate on the direction of borrowing. Nilo-Saharan parallels were also taken into account. The numbers of cognates common to Omotic and other Cushitic branches on the one hand are contrasted with those common to Omotic and the other Afroasiatic families on the other. It seems most natural to see in Omotic an independent member of the Afroasiatic macro-phylum.
1. Internal classification
2. Phonetic correspondences
3. Basic lexicon
4. Etymological comments
Cited by (8)
Cited by eight other publications
Cooper, Julien Charles
2021. Beja and Cushitic Languages in Middle Egyptian Texts. The Etymologies of Queen Aashayet and Her Retainers. Lingua Aegyptia - Journal of Egyptian Language Studies :29 ► pp. 13 ff. 
Takács, Gábor
2021. Omotic lexicon in its Afro-Asiatic setting VIII: Further addenda to the Omotic roots with *b- + dentals and sibilants (Part 1). Lingua Posnaniensis 63:2 ► pp. 95 ff.
Takács, Gábor
2022. Omotic Lexicon in Its Afro-Asiatic Setting V: Addenda to Omotic *b-. Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 75:4 ► pp. 667 ff.
Takács, Gábor
2022. Omotic Lexicon in Its Afro-Asiatic Setting IV: Addenda to Omotic *b-. Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 75:1 ► pp. 123 ff.
Takács, Gábor
2022. Omotic lexicon in its Afro-Asiatic setting VII: Further addenda to Omotic roots with *b-. Lingua Posnaniensis 64:2 ► pp. 145 ff.
Takács, Gábor
2023. Omotic Lexicon in Its Afro-Asiatic Setting IX: Further Addenda to the Omotic Roots with *b- + Sibilants (Part 2). Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 76:4 ► pp. 585 ff.
Köhler, Bernhard
2020. Omotic. In The Oxford Handbook of African Languages, ► pp. 331 ff.
Blažek, Václav
2013. 15 Levant and North Africa: Afroasiatic linguistic history. In The Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration,
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