< Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan

Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/nawo

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

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-Japonic *n-anu- (“what”).[1]

Reconstruction

Most Ryukyuan words meaning "what" would either be 何 (nō) or 何 (nū). However a form exists in Old Ryukyuan nau, and also literary Miyako 何 (nau), suggesting that the forms result from monophthongization.[1]

Pronoun

*nawo[2]

  1. what

Descendants
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 何 (nū)
    • Kunigami: 何 (nū)
    • Northern Amami-Oshima: 何 (nū)
    • Okinawan: 何 (nū)
    • Oki-No-Erabu: 何 (nū)
    • Toku-No-Shima: 何 (nu)
    • Yoron: 何 (nū)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 何 (nau, nō)
    • Yaeyama: 何 (nō)
    • Yonaguni: 何 (nū)

References
  1. Alexander Vovin (2020) A Descriptive and Comparative Grammar of Western Old Japanese (Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 5 Japan; 16)‎, volume 1, Revised, Updated and Enlarged Second Edition edition, →ISBN, pages 297-298, →ISBN
  2. Alexander Vovin (2010) Koreo-Japonica: A Re-evaluation of a Common Genetic Origin‎, →ISBN, →JSTOR, pages 66-67
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