Reconstruction:Proto-Ryukyuan/sai

This Proto-Ryukyuan 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-Ryukyuan

Etymology

Compare Middle Korean 사ᄫᅵ〮 (sàWí) (Celik 2024:unicog_v1.xlsx, entry 3783).

Pronunciation

Tone class: C

Noun

*sai

shrimp, crawfish
Synonym: *ebi

Descendants

Northern Ryukyuan:
- Kunigami: しぇー (shē /⁠ɕɛ̂ː⁠/, “Paratya compressa”, tone class C)
- Northern Amami Ōshima: さい (sai, “small shrimp”)
- Okinawan: せー (sē /⁠séː⁠/, “grasshopper”), せーぐぁー (sēgwā /⁠séːgwáː⁠/), しらせー (shirasē /⁠ɕíɾáséː⁠/, “crawfish”)
- Yoron: さい (sai /⁠sàí⁠/, “giant clam”, tone class B)
Southern Ryukyuan:
- Miyako:
  - Ikema: さい (sai, “shrimp”)
    - Nishihara: さい (sai, “shrimp”, tone class C)
  - Irabu:
    - Nagahama: さイ゚ (/⁠saɿ⁠/, “shrimp”)
    - Nakachi: さイ゚ (/⁠saɿ⁠/, “shrimp”)
  - Tarama: しゃイ゚ (/⁠ɕaɿ⁠/, “shrimp”)
    - Nakasuji: しゃイ゚ (/⁠ɕaɿ⁠/, “shrimp”, tone class A)
  - Minna: さい (/⁠sai⁠/, “shrimp”, tone class B)
  - Minaai: さイ゚ (/⁠saɿ⁠/, “shrimp”)
  - Uruka: さイ゚ (/⁠saɿ⁠/, “shrimp”)
- Yaeyama:
  - ⇒ Ishigaki (Shika): さいなー (sainā /⁠sáínáː⁠/, “crawfish”, tone class BC)
  - Taketomi: さい (/⁠səi⁠/, “shrimp, crawfish”), さいなー (/⁠səinā⁠/, “river shrimp”)