Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/moti

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 1

From Proto-Japonic *mətu (“to carry, hold”).

Verb

*moti

2. to carry, hold

Descendants

• Northern Ryukyuan:
  • Kikai: 持ちゅい (muchui)
  • Kunigami: 持ちゅん (muchun)
  • Northern Amami Ōshima: 持と゚ぅり (muθuri)
  • Okinawan: 持ちゅん (muchun)
  • Okinoerabu: 持ちゅん (muchun)
  • Southern Amami Ōshima: 持ちゅむっ (muchum)
  • Tokunoshima: 持つぃ (mutsï)
  • Yoron: 持ちゅん (muchun)
• Southern Ryukyuan:
  • Miyako: 持つぃ (mutsï)
  • Yaeyama: 持つん (mutsun)
  • Yonaguni: 持とぅん (mutun)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Japonic *məti, probably also from Proto-Japonic *mətu (“to hold”). Derivatives all refer to sticky items, suggesting a connection with the verb form's sense of "holding, keeping", becoming "holding → sticking → trapping", depending on the descendant term.

Noun

*moti

2. birdlime

Descendants

• Northern Ryukyuan:
  • Northern Amami Ōshima:
  • Okinawan: 黐 (muchi)

Noun

*moti

2. glutinous rice, millet, or other glutinous grain

Descendants

• Northern Ryukyuan:
  • Northern Amami Ōshima: 糯 (muchi)
  • Okinawan: 糯 (muchi)
• Southern Ryukyuan:
• ⇒ Yaeyama: 糯粟 (mutsï-ā)