Versions and Authors
There are several versions of Swadesh alone. Swadesh started (1950:p161) with a list of 225 meanings, reduced there to 165 words for the Salish language; in 1952: p456f he published a list of 215 meanings, of which he suggested to cancel 16 not universal or clear enough, with one added to arrive at 200 words. In 1955: p127 he again listed a "lexi(costatisti)cal test list" with 215 meanings, of which the 92 most favourable ones were marked with an asterisk. Eight better suitable ones were added to reach the full 100 universe, again improved and finally published in 1971:p283 and 1972. This final 100-word list of 1971:p283 (=1972) was the result of his lifetime experience, repeatedly tested for universal usability and unambiguity. Thus, this one alone deserves the label "Swadesh list" and is now listed below.
Other versions of lexicostatistical test lists were published e.g. by R.B. Lees (1953), John A. Rea (1958:145f), Dell Hymes (1960:6), W.J Samarin (1967:220f), D. Wilson (1969 with 57 meanings), M.L. Bender (1969), R.L. Oswald (1971), W.P. Lehmann (1984:35f), D. Ringe (1992, passim, different versions), S.A. Starostin (1984, passim, different versions), William S.Y. Wang (1994), M. Lohr (2000, 128 meanings in 18 languages). B. Kessler (2002), and many others. Frequently used, not for any proven quality, but for its electronical availability via the internet is the version of I.Dyen (1992, 200 meanings of 95 language variants).
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