Morris Swadesh

Morris Swadesh was a linguist known for developing a method to compare languages and determine how closely related they are. He created lists of common words—like "mother," "water," and "star"—that appear in most languages. By analyzing these basic vocabulary items, linguists can trace language family trees and estimate how long ago languages diverged from a common ancestor. Swadesh's approach helps scientists understand language evolution and connections between different cultures, much like a family tree shows relationships among relatives.