Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/minato

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

Etymology

The traditional etymology that Japanese sources trace back to is a compound of mi- ("water") + -na- (genitive particle) + to ("place").^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] However, this does not correlate cleanly with *mentu (“water”).

Vovin, on the other hand suggests mi- was an honorific prefix, while -na- was the word for "water", possibly from Proto-Tai *C̬.namꟲ (“water”).^[6] Compare *namita (“tears”), Old Japanese 菜葱, 水葱 (nagi, “Monochoria vaginalis”), Old Japanese 漬く (naduku, “soak in water”).

Noun

*minato

sluice
port

Descendants

Old Japanese: 港, 湊, 水門 (mi₁nato₁)
- Japanese: 港, 湊, 水門 (minato)
Proto-Ryukyuan: *minato
- Northern Ryukyuan:
  - Kikai: 港, 湊, 水門 (minatu)
  - Kunigami: 港, 湊, 水門 (nātu)
  - Northern Amami Ōshima: 港, 湊, 水門 (myāθo)
  - Okinawan: 港, 湊, 水門 (nnatu)
  - Southern Amami Ōshima: 港, 湊, 水門 (mïnyāto)
  - Yoron: 港, 湊, 水門 (minatu)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako: 港, 湊, 水門 (mnatu)
  - Yaeyama: 港, 湊, 水門 (minatu)
  - Yonaguni: 港, 湊, 水門 (nnatu)

References

^ “み‐な‐と【港・湊・水門】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ “港”, in デジタル大辞泉 [Digital Daijisen]‎^[2] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
^ Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 [Kōjien] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ Vovin, Alexander (2010) “上代日本語と古代・中世韓国語の「水」と「涙」”, in 日韓言語学者会議 (in Japanese), 麗澤大学言語研究センター, pages 115-120

[KDJ2O-1] “み‐な‐と【港・湊・水門】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here

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

[DDJS-3] “港”, in デジタル大辞泉 [Digital Daijisen]‎^[2] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months

[K-4] Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 [Kōjien] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN

[SMK5-5] Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[Vovin-6] Vovin, Alexander (2010) “上代日本語と古代・中世韓国語の「水」と「涙」”, in 日韓言語学者会議 (in Japanese), 麗澤大学言語研究センター, pages 115-120

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