The Proto-Omotic verb formative *d

One major problem which comes to the fore in comparing Omotic languages is the wide diversity seen in the inflectional morphology of the verb. To the linguist coming from Ethiopian Semitic or East Cushitic the variety encountered from language to language in Omotic is bewildering. The problem may be illustrated by comparing paradigms of three languages of the Ometo cluster-a group which on the basis of lexicostatistic calculations is considered to be fairly close-knit. Two of the languages, Zayse and Koyra, have been classified (together with Haruro, Ganjule, Harro and Zargula) as East Ometo, a label which is intended to convey a genetic as well as a geographical affiliation. The third language is Gofa, which, as a member of the dialect cluster which includes Wolaitta, Kullo, Konta, Gemu, Zala, Malo, Oyda, etc., is classified as Central Ometo. The paradigms compared are: (i) the perfect (or past) declarative, (ii) the perfect (or past) interrogative, (iii) the imperfect (or present) declarative, (iv) the imperfect (or present) interrogative. The verb employed in the illustration is wod'-'kill

Arabic · Imperfect · Interrogative · Language family · Linguistics · Semitic languages · Variety (cybernetics) · Verb · African history and culture analysis · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Language, Linguistics, Cultural Analysis · Names, Identity, and Discrimination Research · Philosophy

• Concerning a vocalic alternation in North Omotic verb paradigms

  Open Access•R J Hayward•Bulletin of the School of…•1991

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• The Non-semitic languages of Ethiopia

  M Lionel Bender•The Non-semitic languages of…•1976

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