Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/tukiyo

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

Alternative reconstructions

• *tukoyo

Etymology

Compound of *tuki (“moon”) +‎ *yo (“night”).

The alternative reconstruction *tukoyo is limited to Sakishima, while *tukiyo must have been restricted to Okinawa, with a spread to the southern Amami islands such as Yoron and Oki-no-Erabu.

Pronunciation

• Tone class: C

Noun

*tukiyo

1. moon
2. moonlit night

Usage notes

Sense 1 refers primarily to the celestial body of the moon.

Descendants

• Northern Ryukyuan:
  • Kunigami: 月夜 (shichū, hichū /⁠ɕìtɕǔː, çìtɕǔː⁠/)
  • Okinawan: 月夜 (tsichū /⁠tsìtɕùː⁠/)
  • Oki-No-Erabu: 月夜 (chichu /⁠tɕìtɕû⁠/)
  • Yoron: 月夜 (chikkyū /⁠tɕìkkjúː⁠/)
• Southern Ryukyuan:
  • Yaeyama: 月夜ぬ夜 (tsïkuinuyū /⁠tsɨ̥̀kúínújúː⁠/) (< *tukoye-no-yo)
  • Yonaguni: 月夜 (kkuyu /⁠kˀùjû⁠/) (< *tukoyo)