Reconstruction:Okinawan/あー

This Okinawan 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.

This Okinawan entry contains original research. The reconstruction in this entry is based on published research, but the specific form presented here is not found in prior works.

Okinawan

Alternative forms

• あ (a), やー (yā)

Etymology

Uncertain. Compare Japanese 屋 (ya).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aː/

Suffix

*あー (-*ā) 

1. Used to indicate the subject of an adjective, noun, or nominalized verb.

   ‎っくゎ (kkwa, “child”) + ‎むい (mui, “babysitting”) + ‎あー (-ā) → ‎っくゎむやー (kkwamuyā, “babysitter”)

   ‎たんち (tanchi, “short temper”) + ‎あー (-ā) → ‎たんちゃー (tanchā, “a person who has short temper”)

2. (derogatory) Used to indicate the provenance of a person.

   ‎あぐに (“Aguni”) + ‎あー (-ā) → ‎あぐなー (Agunā, “people from Aguni”)

   ‎アミリカ (Amirika) + ‎あー (-ā) → ‎アミリカー (Amirikā, “American”)

3. (Should we delete⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) Used to indicate the name of hyakushoo (Ryukyuan commoner) from a warabi-naa (Okinawan traditional given name) of samuree (Ryukyuan aristocracy).

   ‎たるー (Tarū, masculine given name) + ‎あー (-ā) → ‎たらー (Tarā)

   ‎ちるー (Chirū, feminine given name) + ‎あー (-ā) → ‎ちらー (Chirā)

   ‎うしー (Ushī, feminine given name) + ‎あー (-ā) → ‎うさー (Usā)

4. A suffix attached to words for animals. Sometimes, the original, non-suffixed form is not used.

   ‎あふぃる (afiru, “domestic duck”) + ‎あー (ā) → ‎あふぃらー (afirā)

   ‎あたびち (atabichi, “frog”) + ‎あー (ā) → ‎あたびちゃー (atabichā)

   ‎がらし (garashi, “crow”) + ‎あー (ā) → ‎がらさー (garasā)

Usage notes

• Note that this suffix may coalesce or replace the vowel of the preceding term.

Derived terms

Okinawan terms suffixed with *あー

See also

• んちゅ (nchu)

References

• “あー・あ・やー” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.