Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/konpo

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

Alternative forms

*konbo[1]

Reconstruction

Vovin (2021) reconstructs *konbo, which can reflect underlying *konpo with voicing due to the nasal + voiceless cluster.

Noun

*konpo

spider

Descendants

Old Japanese: 蜘蛛, 久毛 (kumo₁) (spelled 久毛 in MYS.5.892)
- Japanese: 蜘蛛 (kumo)
Proto-Ryukyuan: *kobo, *kobu
- Northern Ryukyuan:
  - Kikai: 蜘蛛 (xubū)
  - Kunigami: 蜘蛛 (fubu)
  - Northern Amami-Oshima: 蜘蛛 (xubu)
  - Okinawan: 蜘蛛 (kubu, kūbā) (< *kobu, *kobuwa)
  - Oki-No-Erabu: 蜘蛛 (hibū)
  - Southern Amami-Oshima: 蜘蛛 (xup)
  - ⇒ Toku-No-Shima: 蜘蛛 (mankubo)
  - Yoron: 蜘蛛 (fubu)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako: 蜘蛛 (kuv)
  - Yaeyama: 蜘蛛 (kubu)
  - Yonaguni: 蜘蛛 (kubu)

References

Vovin, Alexander (2021), “Names of Large Exotic Animals and the Urheimat of Japonic”, in International Journal of Eurasian Linguistics, issue 3, pages 105-120

[1] Vovin, Alexander (2021), “Names of Large Exotic Animals and the Urheimat of Japonic”, in International Journal of Eurasian Linguistics, issue 3, pages 105-120