Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/takara

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

Martin reconstructs this as a compound of *taka (“high”) +‎ *-ra (pluralizing suffix). However, this is semantically problematic, as such would ordinarily refer to “the heights” as a location, and there is no clear means of deriving the sense of “treasure” from the proposed component parts.

Noun

*takara

1. treasure

Descendants

• Old Japanese: 寶 (takara)
  • Japanese: 宝 (takara)
• Proto-Ryukyuan: *takara
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 宝 (takara)
    • Kunigami: 宝 (thakāra)
    • Northern Amami Ōshima: 宝 (θaxara)
    • Okinawan: 宝 (takara)
    • Okinoerabu: 宝 (takara)
    • Southern Amami Ōshima: 宝 (θakāra)
    • Tokunoshima: 宝 (takarā)
    • Yoron: 宝 (takara)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 宝 (takara)
    • Yaeyama: 宝 (takara)
    • Yonaguni: 宝 (tagara)