Reconstruction:Proto-Japonic/kara

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.

This Proto-Japonic entry contains original research. The reconstruction in this entry is based on published research, but the specific form presented here is not found in prior works.

Proto-Japonic

Etymology 1

Noun

*kara

lineage, origin^[1]
course, way^[2]

Descendants

In all of its descendants, the term has also evolved into an ablative marker meaning "from".

Old Japanese: 柄 (kara, “lineage, origin”), から (kara)
- Japanese: 柄 (kara, “lineage, origin; type, characteristic”), から (kara)
Proto-Ryukyuan: *kara
- Northern Ryukyuan:
  - Kikai: から (kara), ら (ra)
  - Kunigami: から (khara), ちゃら (chara), ら (ra)
  - Northern Amami Ōshima: はら (hara), か゚ら (xara), から (kara)
  - Okinawan: から (kara)
  - Okinoerabu: から (kara)
  - Southern Amami Ōshima: はら (hara), か゚ら (xara), から (kara)
  - Tokunoshima: から (kara)
  - Yoron: から (kara), ちゃら (chara)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako: から (kara)
  - Yaeyama: から (kara)
  - Yonaguni: がら (gara)

Etymology 2

Noun

*kara

shell; hollow place

Descendants

Old Japanese: から (kara, “shell”) (voiced hapax)
- Japanese: 殻, 骸 (kara, “shell”), 空, 虚 (kara, “empty”)
Proto-Ryukyuan: *kara (“empty”), *-gara (“shell”)
- Northern Ryukyuan:
  - Kunigami: 殻, 骸 (-garā, “shell”), 空, 虚 (harā, “empty”)
  - Northern Amami Ōshima: 殻, 骸 (-gara, “shell”), 空, 虚 (xara, “empty”)
  - Okinawan: 殻, 骸 (-gara, “shell”), 空, 虚 (kara, “empty”)
  - Southern Amami Ōshima: 空, 虚 (kara, “empty”)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako: 空, 虚 (kara-, “empty”)
  - Yaeyama: 空, 虚 (kara-, “empty”)

Etymology 3

Adjective

*kara

sharp of flavor
1. salty
2. spicy
3. strong (of alcohol)
harsh

Descendants

Old Japanese: 辛, 苛, 鹹 (kara)
- Japanese: 辛い, 苛い, 鹹い (karai)
Proto-Ryukyuan: *kara
- Northern Ryukyuan:
  - Kunigami: 辛ーせん, 苛ーせん, 鹹ーせん (harāsen)
  - Northern Amami Ōshima: 辛さり, 苛さり, 鹹さり (xarasari)
  - Okinawan: 辛さん, 苛さん, 鹹さん (karasan)
  - Tokunoshima: 辛さい, 苛さい, 鹹さい (karasai)
  - Yoron: 辛さん, 苛さん, 鹹さん (harasan)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
  - Miyako: 辛, 苛, 鹹 (kara)
  - Yaeyama: 辛さん, 苛さん, 鹹さん (karasan)
  - Yonaguni: 辛ん, 苛ん, 鹹ん (karan)

References

^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ Bjarke Frellesvig ((Can we date this quote?)) “Old Japanese Particles”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎^[1]

[KDJ-1] Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[2] Bjarke Frellesvig ((Can we date this quote?)) “Old Japanese Particles”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎^[1]

[1]

[2]