Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/ima

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

A surface analysis suggests this is most likely a compound.

Surface analysis

The first ⟨*e-⟩ element appears to be an ancient bound morpheme meaning "this", apparently indicating a current time. Might ultimately derive from or be cognate with Proto-Indo-European *ís (“the (object)”). As in "the (current) time is ..." = "now is ...".

The final ⟨*ma⟩ element appears to be cognate with *mantay (“until”, from "to this time") (whence Old Japanese 迄 (made), Okinawan 迄 (madi), and Kunigami 迄 (marī)), and what would be Japanese 間 (ma, “interval, space, room”, possibly a generalization of the bound morpheme).
Alternatively may be a comparing to Proto-Turkic *em- (“now”), also Proto-Turkic *emti, *amtï.

Adverb

*ima

now

Descendants

Old Japanese: 今 (ima)
- Japanese: 今 (ima)
Proto-Ryukyuan: *inama
- Northern Ryukyuan: *inyama
  - Kikai: 今 (nyama)
  - Kunigami: 今 (namā)
  - Okinawan: 今 (nama)
  - Southern Amami-Oshima: 今 (nama)
  - Toku-No-Shima: 今 (nä)
  - Yoron: 今 (nyama)
- Southern Ryukyuan: *ïnama
  - Miyako: 今 (nnama)
  - Yaeyama: 今 (nama)
  - Yonaguni: 今 (nai, nnai)