かまめ

Old Japanese

Etymology

Listed in references as an ancient form of modern 鴎 (kamome, “seagull”).^[1]^[2]^[3] However, the ultimate derivation is unknown. Possible derivations include:

From an uncertain onomatopoeic term
Related to 鴨 (kamo₁, “duck”)
From some meaning of かま (kama)
The latter -me element is probably the め (me) that appears as an ancient suffixing element in some bird and fish names, such as 雀 (suzume, “sparrow”), 燕 (tsubame, “swallow”), 鯣 (surume, “cuttlefish”), 鮃 (hirame, “flounder”), 鮫 (same, “shark”)

Noun

かまめ (kamame₂)

The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include: a seagull, gull; a white waterfowl
- c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 1, poem 2:
  , text here
  ...國原波煙立龍海原波加萬目立多都...
  ...kunipara pa ke₂buri tatitatu unapara pa kamame₂ tatitatu...
  On the plain of land, smoke from the hearths rises, rises. On the plain of waters, gulls rise one after another.^[4]

Descendants

Japanese: 鴎 (kamome)

References

^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ Ian Hideo Levy (2014) Hitomaro and the Birth of Japanese Lyricism (Volume 734 of Princeton Legacy Library)‎^[1], Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 26

[KDJ-1] Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJR-2] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DJS-3] Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[4] Ian Hideo Levy (2014) Hitomaro and the Birth of Japanese Lyricism (Volume 734 of Princeton Legacy Library)‎^[1], Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 26

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