Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/sinu

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.

There is some uncertainty about derivation.

• This term might be a fusion of borrowed element *si from Old Chinese 死 (OC *hljiʔ) + native verb *inu (“to go away; to die”, reflected as Classical Japanese 去ぬ (inu)). In kanbun texts, the compound 死去 is attested as far back as 721.

• Alternatively, this might be a purely native term, with the phonological and semantic overlap with Middle Chinese 死 (MC sijX) entirely accidental.

*sinu (infinitive *sini)

1. to die

• Old Japanese: 死ぬ (sinu)
  • Japanese: 死ぬ (shinu)
• Proto-Ryukyuan: *sini
  • Northern Ryukyuan:
    • Kikai: 死にゅい (shinyui)
    • Kunigami: 死ぬん (shinun)
    • Northern Amami Ōshima: 死みゅり (shimyuri)
    • Okinawan: 死ぬん (shinun)
    • Okinoerabu: 死にゅん (shinyun)
    • Southern Amami Ōshima: 死にゅむっ (shinyum)
    • Tokunoshima: 死み (sïmi)
    • Yoron: 死にゅん (shinyun)
  • Southern Ryukyuan:
    • Miyako: 死 (sun)
    • Yaeyama: 死ぬん (sïnun)
    • Yonaguni: 死ぬん (nnun)