Proto-Japonic

Proto-language (reconstructed) · historical / hidden variety

FamilyProto-language (reconstructed) SpeakersExtinct (hypothetical) ScriptNone / reconstructed CountriesN. Kyushu / southern Korean peninsula (hypothetical) Official inNone Vitalityextinct

Proto-Japonic is the reconstructed ancestor of the Japonic family — Japanese and the Ryukyuan languages. It is usually linked to the Yayoi migration and placed in northern Kyushu and the southern Korean peninsula roughly between the 5th century BCE and the 5th century CE; it is well reconstructed from Old Japanese and Ryukyuan. (Its proposed deeper link to Koreanic — Proto-Japonic-Koreanic — is a separate, disputed entry.)

Where it is spoken

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87 core words in Proto-Japonic

Water

*mentu

mentu

Fire

*poy

poy

Sun

*pi

pi

Moon

*tukuy

tukuy

Star

*pəsi

pəsi

Night

*yo

jo

Rain

*amay

amay

Snow

*yoki

joki

Wind

*kansay

kansay

Earth

*tuti

tuti

Stone

*isoi

isoi

Mountain

*yama

jama

Sea

*omi

omi

Mother

*papa

papa

Father

*titi

titi

I

*wa

wa

You

*na

na

We

—

—

Name

*na

na

Person

*pitə

pitə

Head

*kasira

kasira

Eye

*may

may

Ear

*mimi

mimi

Nose

*pana

pana

Mouth

*kutui

kutui

Tooth

*pa

pa

Tongue

*sita

sita

Hand

*ta

ta

Foot

*asi

asi

Heart

*kəkərə

kəkərə

Bone

*pone

pone

Blood

*ti

ti

Poop

*kuso

kuso

Love

*suk-

suk

Tree

*kəy

kəy

Dog

*enu

enu

Cat

—

—

Fish

*iwo

iwo

Bird

*təri

təri

Bear

*kuma

kuma

Horse

*uma

uma

House

*ipay

ipay

Salt

*sipo

sipo

Rice

*kəmay

kəmay

Eat

*kupa-

kupa

Drink

*nəm-

nəm

Sleep

*ne-

ne

One

*pitə

pitə

Two

*puta

puta

Three

*mi

mi

Four

*yə

yə

Five

*itu

itu

Hundred

*momo

momo

Hello

—

—

Thank you

—

—

Good

*yə

yə

New

*nipi-

nipi

Red

*aka

aka

White

*siro

siro

Black

*kuro

kuro

Sources

Words compared

Compared with languages in the same classification: Proto-language (reconstructed)

Meaning Proto-JaponicOld JapaneseProto-RyukyuanHeian-period JapaneseMiddle JapaneseJapanese Kanbun ReadingAomori Japanese
Water *mentu /mentu/ 水 /midu/ *midu /midu/ 水 /midu/ 水 /midu/ 水 /mizɯ/ 水 /mizɯ/
Fire *poy /poy/ 火 /pi/ *pii /piː/ 火 /ɸi/ 火 /ɸi/ 火 /hi/ 火 /hi/
Sun *pi /pi/ 日 /pi/ *teda /teda/ 日 /ɸi/ 日 /ɸi/ 日 /hi/ 日 /hi/
Moon *tukuy /tukuy/ 月 /tukï/ *tuki /tuki/ 月 /tukï/ 月 /tuki/ 月 /tsɯki/ 月 /tsɯki/
Star *pəsi /pəsi/ 星 /posi/ *posi /posi/ 星 /ɸosi/ 星 /ɸoɕi/ 星 /hoɕi/ 星 /hoɕi/
Night *yo /jo/ 夜 /jo/ *yoru /joru/ 夜 /joru/ 夜 /joru/ 夜 /joru/ 夜 /joɾɯ/
Rain *amay /amay/ 雨 /amə/ *ame /ame/ 雨 /ame/ 雨 /ame/ 雨 /ame/ 雨 /ame/
Snow *yoki /joki/ 雪 /juki/ *yuki /juki/ 雪 /juki/ 雪 /juki/ 雪 /jɯki/ 雪 /jɯki/
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