Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/inama

This Proto-Ryukyuan 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-Ryukyuan edit

Reconstruction edit

According to one theory, the descendants would experience a sound shift via ⟨*ima⟩, by */ʔimya/ → */ʔmya/ → */na/.^[1] However, all reflexes point to initial *ena-ma > *ina-ma (second component identical to *ma (“place, space”)), with progressive palatalization operating in Northern Ryukyuan. Compare Proto-Ryukyuan *miyako > Miyako 宮古 (myāku) and Okinawan 宮古 (nāku).

This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.
Particularly: “See Talk -- the phonological shift from Proto-Japonic /*ema/ to Proto-Ryukyuan /*enama/ makes no sense: there is no /n/ anywhere in the Proto-Japonic, and no explanation for where this would come from.”

Etymology edit

From Proto-Japonic *ima (“now”).

Adverb edit

*inama

now

Descendants edit

Northern Ryukyuan: *inyama
- Kikai: 今 (nyama)
- Kunigami: 今 (nanma)
- Northern Amami-Oshima: 今 (nama)
- Okinawan: 今 (nama)
- Oki-No-Erabu: 今 (nama)
- Southern Amami-Oshima: 今 (nama)
- Toku-No-Shima: 今 (nā)
- Yoron: 今 (nyama)
Southern Ryukyuan: *ïnama
- Miyako: 今 (nnama)
- Yaeyama: 今 (nama)
- Yonaguni: 今 (nai, nnai) (< *inae)

References edit

^ “なま【今】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

[1] “なま【今】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

[1]