Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/yowa-

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 *yowa- (“weak”).

Adjective

*yowa-

1. weak

Descendants

• Northern Ryukyuan:
  • Kikai: 弱さい (yuwasai)
  • Kunigami: 弱せん (yōsen)
  • Northern Amami Ōshima: 弱さり (yowasari, “hungry”)
  • Okinawan: 弱さん (yōsan)
  • Okinoerabu: 弱さん (yūsan)
  • Southern Amami Ōshima: 弱さむっ (yuwāsam, yiwāsam)
  • Tokunoshima: 弱い (yuwai)
  • Yoron: 弱さん (yāsan)
• Southern Ryukyuan:
  • Miyako: 弱 (yū)
  • Yaeyama: 弱さん (yōsan)
  • Yonaguni: 弱ん (duwan)

See also

• *yawasi- (“hungry”)

References

• Thorpe, Maner Lawton (1983) Ryūkyūan Language History‎^[1], Doctoral dissertation. University of Southern California, pages 345-346
• Samuel E. Martin (1987) The Japanese Language Through Time, New Haven, London: Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 845