Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/wo

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 1

Possibly related to *we (“man”) and *wi (“boar”).

Noun

*wo

1. man; male

Descendants

• Old Japanese: 男 (wo, “man”)
  • Japanese: 男 (o) (in compounds)
• Old Japanese: 雄 (wo, “male”)
  • Japanese: 雄 (o) (in compounds)
• Proto-Ryukyuan: *wo (“male”)
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • ⇒ Kunigami: 雄物 (wūmun)
    • Northern Amami Ōshima: 雄 (wū)
    • ⇒ Okinawan: 雄物 (wūmun)
    • ⇒ Southern Amami Ōshima: 雄物 (wūmun)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • ⇒ Yonaguni: 雄節 (ūbushi)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• Accent class: 2.1

Noun

*wo

1. cord

Descendants

• Old Japanese: 緒 (wo)
  • Japanese: 緒 (o, Heian HH, Tokyo 1 [H(L)], Kyoto 1 [LH ~ LL(H)] (ZAJ)/0 [HH(H)] (NKD2), Kagoshima A [F(L)] (perhaps accent irregularity is influenced by Japanese 尾 (o, “tail”)?))
• Proto-Ryukyuan: *wo
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 緒 (wū, ū, gū)
    • Kunigami: 緒 (wū /⁠wúː⁠/)
    • Northern Amami Ōshima: 緒 (wū, in compounds)
    • Okinawan: 緒 (wū /⁠wûː⁠/)
    • Southern Amami Ōshima: 緒 (wu /⁠wùˑ⁠/)
    • Yoron: 緒 (pū /⁠pùː⁠/)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 緒 (bū)
    • Yaeyama: 緒 (bū /⁠bûː⁠/)
    • Yonaguni: 緒 (bū /⁠búː⁠/)

Etymology 3

Particle

*wo

1. accusative marker
2. away from, off

Descendants

• Old Japanese: を (wo)
  • Japanese: を (o)
• Proto-Ryukyuan: *wo
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Okinawan: ゆ (yu) (archaic, literary)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: う (u), ゆ (yu)
    • Yaeyama: ゆ (yu) (literary)