Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/wa

This Proto-Ryukyuan entry contains reconstructed words 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

Reconstruction

According to Thorpe (1983), the daughter languages show variation in the use of this pronoun. Almost all daughter languages generalized this plural as a singular (like in Japanese) except for Yonaguni, which retains the original distinction.

Etymology

From Proto-Japonic *wa (“we”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /wa/

Pronoun

*wa

we

Declension

Nominative *waya, genitive *wa.

Derived terms

*wanu
- Northern Ryukyuan: 완 (wan) (Haytong Ceykwukki, 1501)
  - Kikai: 我ん (わん, wan)
  - Kunigami: 我ん (わん, wan)
  - Northern Amami-Oshima: 我ん (わん, wan)
  - Okinawan: 我ん (わん, wan)
  - Oki-No-Erabu: 我ん (わぬ, wanu)
  - Southern Amami-Oshima: 我ん (わん, wan)
  - Toku-No-Shima: 我ん (わん, wan)
  - Yoron: 我ん (わぬ, wanu)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako: 我ん (ばん, ban)
  - Yaeyama: 我ぬ (ばぬ, banu)
  - Yonaguni: 我ぬ (ばぬ, banu)
*wakeya
- Northern Ryukyuan:
  - Kikai: 我きゃ (わきゃ, wakya)
  - Northern Amami-Oshima: 我きゃ (わきゃ, wakya)
  - Oki-No-Erabu: 我きゃ (わきゃ, wakya), 我ちゃ (わちゃ, wacha)
  - Southern Amami-Oshima: 我きゃ (わきゃ, wakya)
  - Toku-No-Shima: 我きゃ (わきゃ, wakya)
  - Yoron: 我ちゃ (わちゃ, wacha)
*waya
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako:
    Tarama: べー (bē)
  - Yaeyama:
    Aragusuku: ぴゃー (pyā)
    Hateruma: ばい (bai), べー (bē)
    Hatoma: べー (bē)
    Kuroshima: べー (bē)