Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/e-ku

This Proto-Ryukyuan 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-Ryukyuan

Etymology

From Proto-Japonic *e-ku (“how many”).

Determiner

*e-ku

1. how many

Reconstruction notes

The Yamatohama dialect of Northern Amami Ōshima had lost many reflexes of *e-ku for some reason; this word only survives in that dialect in 幾返りん (ikkērin, “sometimes”).

Descendants

• Northern Ryukyuan:
  • Kikai: 幾 (ixu-)
  • Kunigami: 幾 (iku-)
  • Okinawan: 幾 (iku-)
  • Yoron: 幾 (iku-)
• Southern Ryukyuan:
  • Miyako: 幾 (ifu-)
  • Yaeyama: 幾 (ifu-)

• ⇒ Proto-Ryukyuan: *e-ku-tu
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 幾とぅ (ixutu), 幾つ (ixutsu)
    • Kunigami: 幾っちー (hikutchī)
    • Okinawan: 幾つぃ (ikutsi), 幾ち (ikuchi)
    • Okinoerabu: 幾ち (ikuchi)
    • Southern Amami Ōshima: 幾ち (ixuchi), 幾ーち (ixūchi), 幾とっ (ixut)
    • Tokunoshima: 幾ち (ikuchi)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 幾つ (ifutsï)
    • Yaeyama: 幾つぃ (ifutsï)
    • Yonaguni: 幾ち (iguchi)
• ⇒ Proto-Ryukyuan: *e-ku-tari
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 幾人 (ixutai)
    • Kunigami: 幾人 (hikutai)
    • Okinawan: 幾人 (ikutai)
    • Okinoerabu: 幾人 (ikutai)
    • Tokunoshima: 幾人 (ikutai)
    • Yoron: 幾人 (ikutai)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 幾人 (ifutaz)
    • Yaeyama: 幾人 (ifutārï)