Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/pəsi

This Proto-Japonic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Japonic

Alternative reconstructions

• *posi

Etymology 1

May speculatively be related to Old Korean 星利 (*PYEli), but see the reconstruction notes for issues.

Reconstruction

The reconstruction of the first vowel is debated, as there is no o1/o2 distinction after bilabial plosives. If the word is related to *poi (“fire”), then */o/ should be reconstructed. Note that */o/ either gives Japanese /o/ (although seemingly in limited environments) or /u/.

Noun

*pəsi

1. star, planet

Descendants

• Old Japanese: 星 (posi)
  • Japanese: 星 (hoshi)
• Proto-Ryukyuan: *posi
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 星 (pushi, fushi)
    • Kunigami: 星 (phushī)
    • Northern Amami Ōshima: 星 (fushi)
    • Okinawan: 星 (fushi)
    • Okinoerabu: 星 (fushi, fushī)
    • Southern Amami Ōshima: 星 (fushi, fush)
    • Tokunoshima: 星 (fusï)
    • Yoron: 星 (pushi)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 星 (pusï)
    • Yaeyama: 星 (pusï)
    • Yonaguni: 星 (fuchi)

Etymology 2

May very speculatively be related with Middle Korean ᄇᆞ〮라다〮 (pólàtá), but this is rejected by Vovin (2010) due to irregular sound correspondences.

Related to Old Japanese 欲る (poru, “to want, to desire”).

Adjective

*pəsi

1. wanted, desired

Descendants

• Old Japanese: 欲し (po₂si)
  • Japanese: 欲しい (hoshii)
• Proto-Ryukyuan: *posi
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 欲しゃい (fushai), 欲さい (fusai)
    • Kunigami: 欲っしぇん (phusshen), 欲しぇん (-bushen)
    • Northern Amami Ōshima: 欲しゃり (hoshari, -boshari)
    • Okinawan: 欲しゃん (fushan, -bushan), 欲さん (fusan, -busan)
    • Okinoerabu: 欲しゃん (fushan, -bushan)
    • Southern Amami Ōshima: 欲しゃむっ (fusham, -busham)
    • Tokunoshima: 欲さい (fusai)
    • Yoron: 欲しゃん (pushan, -bushan)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 欲す (pusï)
    • Yaeyama: 欲さーん (pusān)
    • Yonaguni: 欲さん (fusan, -busan)