Reconstruction:Proto-Mongolic/ïmaxan

This Proto-Mongolic 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-Mongolic

Reconstruction

Buryat shows an unexplained initial n-.

Etymology

Cognate with Khitan 𘱑𘯺 (ém.a). Related through borrowing or inheritance with Proto-Turkic *ïmga, compare Old Turkic 𐰢𐰍𐰀‎ ((a)mɣa).

Possibly dividable into *ïma +‎ *-xan, with the latter found in several other animal names.

Noun

*ïmaxan

goat

Hypernyms

*boda (“livestock”)

Descendants

Middle Mongol:
- Mongolian: ᠢᠮᠠᠭ᠎ᠠ (imaɣ'a), ᠢᠮᠠᠭᠠᠨ (imaɣan)
- Arabic: ايمان‎ (imãn), ايماآن‎ (imaʾan), ايمهآن‎ (imeʾan)
- Armenian: իման (iman) (Kirakos Gandzaketsi)
- Chinese: 亦麻案 (ima'an) (Beilu Yiyu)
Mongolian:
- Classical: ᠢᠮᠠᠭ᠎ᠠ (imaɣ'a)
- Khalkha Mongolian: ямаа (jamaa)
- Ordos: /jamaː/
Kalmyk: яман (yaman)
Buryat: ямаа (jamaa)
Daur: imaa
East Yugur: maan
Monguor:
- Mongghul: yimaa
- Mangghuer: yima
Bonan: imang
Kangjia: imo
Dongxiang: iman
→ Proto-Tungusic: *ïmagan
- Northern:
  - Evenki: имаган (imagan)
    - → Yakut: ымаҕан (ımağan), ымаҕа (ımağa)
  - Solon: имага(н) (imaga(n))
  - Negidal: емая
  - Oroch: има
  - Udihe: има
- Southern:
  - Nanai: иман
  - Ulch: има
  - Jurchen: i.mu.a(.e.li) (“goat (time)”)
    - Manchu: ᡳᠮᠠᡥᡡ (imahū)

References

Nugteren, Hans (2011) Mongolic phonology and the Qinghai-Gansu languages (dissertation)‎, Utrecht: LOT, page 372
Cincius, V. I. (1975) Sravnitelʹnyj slovarʹ tunguso-manʹčžurskix jazykov: Materialy k etimologičeskomu slovarju [Comparative Dictionary of Tungus-Manchu Languages: Materials for an etymological dictionary] (in Russian), volume 1, Leningrad: Nauka, page 312
Vasilevič, G. M. (1958) Evɛnkijsko-Russkij slovarʹ [Evenki-Russian dictionary] (in Russian), Moscow: GIS, page 167-168
Rozycki, William (1994) Mongol Elements in Manchu (Uralic and Altaic series; 157), Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University, Research Institute for Inner Asian Studies, page 160