かー

Yonaguni

Etymology 1

From Proto-Ryukyuan *kawa (“well; fountain”), from Proto-Japonic *kapa (“source of freshwater”).

Pronunciation

• (Sonai) IPA^(key): [kʰáː] (tone class A)

Noun

かー (kā) 

1. a river

   たぶるかーんき　んなに　あらいんでぃ　でぃ

   taburukānki nnani araindi di

   Let's go to the Tabaru river to wash our clothes.

2. a well; a fountain

   むらぬにしいち　にしにぬ　かーや　あまみん　かーどぅ　あたが　ふがや　ぶるんだみん　かーどぅ　あたる

   muranunishīchi nishininu kāya amamin kādu ataga fugaya burundamin kādu ataru

   Sonai's Nishi-ichi and Nishi-ni's fountain is a one that sprays out freshwater, on the other hand, all [others] are fountains that spray salt water.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Ryukyuan *kawa (“skin; bark”), from Proto-Japonic *kapa (“skin; bark”).

Pronunciation

• (Sonai) IPA^(key): [kʰàː] (tone class B)

Noun

かー (kā) 

1. skin; bark; the outer part of living things

   てぃぬ　かー　はぎるた　しかま　きー　ぶたんどー

   tinu kā hagiruta shikama kī butandō

   The more I rip out the skin of my hands, the more work I have to do...

   うちぬ　かーぬ　んぬん　うってぃ　ぶー　’かい　ぶる

   uchinu kānu nnun utti bū ’kai buru

   We perform by doing stick dancing by sounding the drums made from cow leather.

Descendants

• Yonaguni Hōgen Jiten Henshū I'inkai (与那国方言辞典編集委員会) (2021) どぅなんむぬい辞典 [Dunanmunui Dictionary], Yonaguni (与那国町): Yonaguni-chō Kyōiku I'inkai (与那国町教育委員会), page 101