Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/sima

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

Etymology

Possibly related to Baekje 斯麻 (*syema, “island”) and Middle Korean 셤 (syem).^[1]

May also be related to a cluster of verbs arising from root sim-, as in modern Japanese 閉める・閉まる (shimeru - shimaru, “to close, to close off [intransitive, transitive]”). Compare Latin insula and Latin insulatus.

Noun

*sima

island
land

Descendants

Old Japanese: 島 (sima)
- Japanese: 島 (shima)
Proto-Ryukyuan: *sima (“island, land; community”)
- Northern Ryukyuan: 시마 (/⁠si.ma⁠/) (Haytong Ceykwukki, 1501)
  - Kikai: 島 (shima)
  - Kunigami: 島 (shimā)
  - Northern Amami Ōshima: 島 (shima)
  - Okinawan: 島 (shima)
  - Okinoerabu: 島 (shima)
  - Southern Amami Ōshima: 島 (shima)
  - Tokunoshima: 島 (sïma)
  - Yoron: 島 (shima)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako: 島 (sïma)
  - Yaeyama: 島 (sïma)
  - Yonaguni: 島 (chima)

References

^ Vovin, Alexander (2013) “From Koguryo to T'amna”, in Korean Linguistics‎^[1], volume 15, number 2 (PDF), John Benjamins Publishing Company, →DOI, pages 222-240.

[1] Vovin, Alexander (2013) “From Koguryo to T'amna”, in Korean Linguistics‎^[1], volume 15, number 2 (PDF), John Benjamins Publishing Company, →DOI, pages 222-240.

[1]