ᵐbɨlala ʸ n. elephant éléphant (3 groups, 6 languages) A syn: dzɨwɨn ʸ, gɨwɨn, nɨvi.
This root is found in five contiguous languages, and in Tsuvan which is very distant from these languages. The Tsuvan root follows the right patterning to be the result of contact with the other languages, but the physical and genetic distance between it and the other languages makes it more likely that this is a chance similarity.
1Proto-Bata *ᵐbaɮa elephant éléphant 1.1) Tsuvan (Johnston) ᵐbaɮa l'éléphant
2Proto-Hurza *ᵐbɨla ʸ elephant éléphant 2.1) Mbuko (Gravina) ᵐbəle elephant éléphant 2.2) Vame (Kinnaird) ᵐbèlèlèk elephant éléphant
3Proto-Mofu *ᵐbala ʸ elephant éléphant 3.1) Ouldeme (Kinnaird) ᵐbèlè elephant éléphant 3.2) Muyang (Smith) ᵐbeli elephant éléphant 3.3) Moloko (Friesen) ᵐbəlele elephant éléphant 3.3.1) Moloko (Friesen) ᵐbəlele
This root is found in five contiguous languages, and in Tsuvan which is very distant from these languages. The Tsuvan root follows the right patterning to be the result of contact with the other languages, but the physical and genetic distance between it and the other languages makes it more likely that this is a chance similarity.
1Proto-Bata *ᵐbaɮa elephant éléphant 1.1) Tsuvan (Johnston) ᵐbaɮa l'éléphant
2Proto-Hurza *ᵐbɨla ʸ elephant éléphant 2.1) Mbuko (Gravina) ᵐbəle elephant éléphant 2.2) Vame (Kinnaird) ᵐbèlèlèk elephant éléphant
3Proto-Mofu *ᵐbala ʸ elephant éléphant 3.1) Ouldeme (Kinnaird) ᵐbèlè elephant éléphant 3.2) Muyang (Smith) ᵐbeli elephant éléphant 3.3) Moloko (Friesen) ᵐbəlele elephant éléphant 3.3.1) Moloko (Friesen) ᵐbəlele