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Not attested until the late 1400s,[1] as a shortening of older 蕎麦(soba mugi, literally “sobagrain”).[1][2][3]
Two theories exist regarding the ultimate derivation of the soba element:
Samuel Martin reconstructs soba as Proto-Japonic*sonpa and derives it as a compound of *so(unknown) + *pa(“feather”). The *pa changes to *nba as an instance of rendaku (連濁).[4]
From 稜(soba, “an edge, a corner”),[5] in reference to the seed of the plant being a triangular oval shape with protruding corners.[6]
Considering the late appearance of soba in isolation with the meaning of buckwheat, and the attested earlier senses of side; corner, edge, Martin's reconstruction seems unlikely.
The kanji spelling is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓), from 蕎(“buckwheat”) + 麦(“wheat”).
