More than 30 years ago Andrzej Zaborski (1983; 1987 {1983}) collected and analyzed all Cushitic and Omotic numerals, which were described in his time, and tried to analyze their internal structure. His two pioneering studies stimulated the present attempt to collect all available relevant data about Cushitic numerals and to analyze them in both genetic (Afroasiatic) and areal (Omotic, Ethio-Semitic and Nilo-Saharan) perspectives, all at the contemporary level of our knowledge. With respect to the long mutual interference between various groups of Cushitic and Omotic languages, it is necessary to study the numerals in both the language families together. The presented material is organized in agreement with the genetic classification of these languages. On the basis of concrete forms in individual languages the protoforms in partial groups are reconstructed, if it is possible, and these partial protoforms of numerals in the daughter protolanguages are finally compared to determine the inherited forms. The common cognates are finally compared with parallels in other Afroasiatic branches, if they exist, or with counterparts in Ethio-Semitic or Nilo-Saharan languages, if they could be borrowed from or adapted into the Cushitic or Omotic languages.

In the article the affiliation of Kujarke in genealogical classification is discussed. The Kujarke language is an isolate from Chad-Sudan neighborhood, described by the anthropologist Doornbos in 1981 (partially published in 1983). The present study operates with all c. 200 lexemes collected by Doornbos and evaluates their affinities in neighboring languages classified as Chadic and Nilo-Saharan. It is possible to conclude that Kujarke probably represents an independent group of East Chadic branch. From the neighboring Nilo-Saharan languages the strongest influence was identified from the Fur family.

More than 30 years ago Andrzej Zaborski (1983; 1987 {1983}) collected and analyzed all Cushitic and Omotic numerals, which were described in his time, and tried to analyze their internal structure. His two pioneering studies stimulated the present attempt to collect all available relevant data about Omotic numerals and to analyze them in both genetic (Afroasiatic) and areal (Cushitic, Ethio-Semitic and Nilo-Saharan) perspectives, all at the contemporary level of our knowledge. With respect to the long mutual interference between various groups of Cushitic and Omotic languages, it is necessary to study the numerals in both the language families together. The presented material is organized in agreement with the genetic classification of these languages. On the basis of concrete forms in individual languages the protoforms in partial groups are reconstructed, if it is possible, and these partial protoforms of numerals in the daughter protolanguages are finally compared to determine the inherited forms. The common cognates are finally compared with parallels in other Afroasiatic branches, if exist, or with counterparts in Ethio-Semitic or Nilo-Saharan languages, if they could be borrowed from or adapted into the Cushitic or Omotic languages.

In the article the Slavic term * ǫb(ъ)lъ ‘source, spring; well’ is analyzed from the point of view of its word-formation and etymology. The discussion of preceding etymologies leads to the formulation of a new etymology, based on the internal analysis of * ǫ-b(ъ)lъ ‘source, spring; well’ as * n̥-bl̥o ‘unmuddy’ = ‘clear (water)’. The identified cognates in Baltic * balā, Germanic * pōla-, and possibly Continental Celtic * bolā, all ‘swamp, marsh’, imply the initial, ‘non-Indo-European’, * b-. Finally, it is tested, if the etymon could represent an extension in -l- from the root * gu̯ebh- ‘marsh, swamp’ in the zero-grade of ablaut. The answer is ‘yes’.

A purpose of the present study is an evaluation of various models of classification of the South branch of the Cushitic languages. The South Cushitic languages are studied in their narrow sense here, i.e. without Dahalo and Ma’a, although their probable cognates are registered.

Mauro Tosco, The Dhaasanac Language. Grammar, Texts, Vocabulary of a Cushitic Language of Ethiopia (Kuschitische Sprachstudien, Band 17), Rudiger Koppe Verlag, Koln 2001. xiv+ 598 pp.+ 20 photos. Price e 65.45. ISBN 3-89645-064-6.

The purpose of the present study is to summarize and etymologize the terms designating ,,year" and its seasons in Berber languages

The present study summarizes the anatomic lexicon of Beja, the only representative of the North Cushitic branch according to all relevant sources published during last two centuries. This dialectological material is compared with probable or possible counterparts in other Cushitic branches and further, in the Afroasiatic perspective, with Omotic, Chadic, Berber, Egyptian and Semitic lexical data, all in agreement with historical phonology formulated in Blažek 2007. Several etymological studies devoted to thematic parts of the Beja lexicon were already published: Fauna (Blažek 2003a), Kinship & Social terminology (Blažek 2003b), Natural Phenomena, Time and Geographical Terminology (Blažek 2005 & 2006).

The contribution summarises the Beja lexicon connected with natural phenomena, including astronomical, temporal, and geographical terminology. Every lexeme is documented in available sources and etymologized in areal or genealogical perspectives. In the case of borrowings, the ambition is to trace primary donor-languages, usually Arabic or Ethio-Semitic, sometimes Nilo-Saharan. The inherited lexemes are identified, if no convincing donors were determined, while there are promising comparanda in other Cushitic, Omotic or other Afroasiatic branches.

In the present contribution the Beja botanical terminology is analyzed from the point of view of semantic motivation. The study is limited only to the unborrowed part of the botanical lexicon (with some exceptions), together 76 terms. First 51 terms are etymologized with help of external comparisons with probable cognates in other Cushitic or Afroasiatic languages. The last 25 terms are understandable from the point of view of internal etymology and their semantic motivation is more transparent than in the preceding cases.

The newest book of the renowned Polish linguist Leszek Bednarczuk summarizes his ideas in the field of comparative, areal and typological linguistics and brings some of his original ways out.