とぅら

Okinawan

Etymology 1

From Proto-Ryukyuan *tora (“tiger”).

Historically attested in the Haedong Jegukki as 도라 (Yale: two la), and in the Liquiu-guan Yiyu as 它喇 (Early Mandarin: *tʰɔ la).

Pronunciation

• (Shuri) IPA^(key): [túɾà] (tone class A)

Noun

とぅら (tura) 

1. 虎: tiger
   • Ryūka Zenshū

     虎に　羽　つけて　飛ぶよりも　早く　雲に　馳せ入ゆる　按司の　お舟

     TORA-ni FANE tsukete / TObuyorimo FAYAku / KUMO-ni FAseIyuru / aji-no oBUNE
     tura-ni fani tsikiti / tubuyurin hayaku / kumu-ni hashiiyuru / aji-nu ubuni

     I stick the wings on the tiger; faster than flying; riding into the clouds; the chieftain's noble boat.

Etymology 2

Extension of とぅら (tura, “tiger”). Compare Japanese 寅 (tora).

Pronunciation

• (Shuri) IPA^(key): [túɾà] (tone class A)

Noun

とぅら (tura) 

1. 寅: Tiger (third sign of the Chinese zodiac)
   • 1531-1623, Omoro Sōshi, volume 11, poem 596

     とらうの　時　かみか　時／けおの　時よさは

     tora-u-no TOKI kami-ga TOKI / keo-no TOKIyosaya

     The time of Tiger and Rabbit, the time of the gods; today's good times...

   • Ryūka Zenshū

     とらの方の　風に　とらの　日に　出ぢやち　とらの　走り　しめて　とらの　門口

     tora-no FA-no KAJI-ni / tora-no FI-ni Ijachi / tora-no FAri shimete / tora-no JOGUCHI
     tura-nu-ha-nu kaji-ni / tura-nu fi-ni ijachi / tura-nu hari shimiti / tura-nu joguchi

     The wind of the Tiger hour; the day of the Tiger comes; the tiger finishes running; the gateway of the tiger.

References

• Kokuritsu Kokugo Kenkyūjo (国立国語研究所) (1963) 沖縄語辞典 (Okinawa-go Jiten) [Dictionary of the Okinawan Language] (in Japanese), Tokyo (東京): Okurashō Insatsu Kyoku (財務省印刷局), page 532
• Okinawa Kogo Daijiten Henshū I'inkai (沖縄古語大辞典編集委員会) (1995) 沖縄古語大辞典 [Dictionary of Archaic Okinawan], Tokyo (東京都): Kadokawa Shoten (角川書店), →ISBN, page 464