Japanese Concordances with Indo-European (IE) Languages

Updated on September 06, 2020

One theory states that Japanese cannot be the underlying language of Linear A (LA) because Japanese, like LA, must belong to the Indo-European (IE) family of languages to be considered. Paradoxically, linguists separately postulate that both LA and the Japonic languages belong to the Altaic family of IE languages. Consequently, many linguists may be surprised about the prevalence of Japanese words with IE concordances. This list is intended to demonstrate that the Japanese concordances with Indo-European are more numerous than linguists have supposed. Consider, especially, the concordances between Japanese and Greek. There is growing evidence, especially among Linear B (LB) tablets, that Greek and Japanese are related languages.

Notes:

Some Japanese words in this list have correspondences in LA or LB. For LA words not linked to the lexicon, see Linear A Texts in Phonetic Transcription; likewise, for LB words, see DAMOS.
Many definitions were provided by Etymonline

INDEX

Japanese Kanji
相手 | 暗流 | 台座 | 談話 | 原 | 一己 | 異な | 色 | 一水 | 邪気 | 自己 | 癒 | 回路 | 金 | 空手 | 刈る | 瑕疵 | 川 | 巛 | 生糸 | 岐路 | 古墳 | 興奮 | 小女 | 後端 | 囗 | 苦味 | 雲 | 国 | 車 | 蠱 | 負け | 負け | 見 | 蜜 | 基 | 群 | 村 | 夏 | 王道 | 流 | 見栄え | 現実 | 疵瑕 | 甑炉 | てき | てき | 占い | 野師 | 野師 |

AITE
相手 (n.) companion, company, partner; other party, addressee

Compare

LA a.i-te
Gr. αιτας (aitas) “a beloved youth, a favorite”
Gr. αιτέω (aiteo) “to, ask, to beg, to request” > αιτης (aites) “beggar”

Notes: While it may be said that the person on the receiving end of a request is an addressee, it may also be said that we request the most from our companions. Cf. also ko.sa.[i].ti [HT 117] > kousai-aite “a person with whom one has a relationship”.

Entry added on 05 Nov 2013

ANRYUU
暗流 (n.) undercurrent

Compare

LB a-na-re-u [KN Pp 494]
Gr. ἀναρρέω (ana^hrreô) “to flow back, to stream back”
Gr. ἀναιρέω (anai^hreô) “to bear away

Notes: An undercurrent flows in a direction different from that of the surface current. See also RYUU.

Entry added on 06 Sep 2020

DAIZA
台座 (n.) pedestal

Compare

dais < Anglo-French deis < O. Fr. dais “platform, table”

Notes: See also AB *006 NA in The Meanings of Linear-Script Signs.

Entry added on 30 Jul 2013
Updated on 15 Nov 2016

DANWA
談話 (n.) conversation, discourse, talk

Compare

LB da-nwa
Gr. δήνεα (denea) “counsels, plans”

Notes: The LB shift to the Greek δήνεα suggests that the original word may have been da-na-wa, or perhaps da-ne-wa, before its weakening to da-nwa.

Entry added on 09 Nov 2012

GEN
原 (pref.) fundamental, original, primary, primitive, raw
源 (suf.) origin, source

Compare

PIE *gen(e)- “be born; beget, produce”
genesis < Gr. γένεσις (genesis) “origin, source”
genetic < Gr. γενετικός (genetikos) “genitive case” < Gr. γένεσις (genesis) “origin, source”
genital < L. genitalis “pertaining to birth or generation”
genitive < O. Fr. genitif or L. genitivus “case expressing possession, origin, source”
genus < L. genus “birth, descent, family, origin” or Gr. γένος (genos) “kin, race, stock”
O. E. cennan “beget, create”
Sanskrit janati “bears, begets”
Welsh geni “to be born”

Notes: See also KUNI and MOTOI.

Entry added on 01 Feb 2015

IERU
癒 (v.) to be healed

Compare

LB i-je-ro > ἱερός (hieros) “filled with; sacred” [KN Dv 1447]
LB i-je-re-u > ἱερεύς (hiereus) “a diviner, a priest, a sacrificer” [PY Eo 247]

Notes: Moreover, cf. alternate 癒すiyasu “to be healed”, which appears to be related to Ἰᾱσώ (Iasô) or Ionic Ἰησώ (Iesô) “Iaso, the goddess of health and healing”. Thus, Jesu (Jesus) is the embodiment of the master healer. The given name, Jason, is also rooted in healing. In many cultures throughout history, there essentially is no separation between the priest and the healer. Included in 癒 is刂 to “knife, standing sword”, perhaps a dual reference to the physician and the sacrificer.

On a side note, 刂 to appears related to τομίς “knife”.

Entry added on 05 Apr 2021

IKKO
一己 (n.) oneself; (adj.) personal, private

JIKO
自己 (n.) self, oneself

Compare

Gr. ἐγώ (egô) “I” (first-person pronoun)
O. E. ic “I”
G. ich “I, me, myself”

Notes: While both words contain 己 ko “self”, jiko includes the redundant 自 ji, shi “self” and appears to be a later reanalysis of ikko, which includes 一 ichi “one”. Moreover, 己 has a collateral meaning of “serpent”, which may be compared with the kundalini, a symbol of the life force.
Entry added on 05 Apr 2018

INA
異な (adj.) odd, strange, unusual

Compare

LB i-na [PY Ep 539]
LB i-na-o > Gr. ινάω (inao) or ἰνέω (ineo) “to empty, to evacuate”
L. inanis “empty headed, silly”

Notes: i-na occurs as an anthroponym and is listed in the LB IPN.

Entry added on 28 Oct 2014

IRO
色 (n.) color

Compare

LB wi-ro > Gr.Ἶρος (Iros) “messenger of Iris, who was messenger among the gods”
iridescent “rainbow-colored” < L. iris (gen. iridis) “rainbow”
iris < L. iris < Gr. ἰρίς (iris) < “goddess of the rainbow”

Notes: Iris was the Greek goddess of the rainbow. Moreover the Greeks used iris to refer to any brightly colored circle, such as the eye of a peacock’s tail [L&S 383]. The Japanese iro is a suffix that designates color (e.g. kiiro “amber, yellow”).

Entry added on 02 Jun 2012
Updated on 15 Dec 2012

ISSUI
一水 (n.) † one water; current
溢水 (n.) inundation, overflow

Compare

issue “to flow out”
O. Fr. issu “to flow out”, past. part. of issir
- Jap. 水 sui “water”
- Turk. su “river”

Notes: With the inclusion of 一 ichi “one”, 一水 has a literal meaning of “one water”. See also ANRYUU and RYUU.

Entry added on 05 Apr 2018

JAKI
邪気 (n.) maliciousness; noxious gas

Compare

ja.ki
Gr. τζάκι (tzaki) “fireplace”
It. Jaci < Acireale or Jaciriali

Notes: An alternate Japanese pronunciation is zake. Compare Jaci, which, in ancient times, was known as Jachium and which is located at the base of Mt. Etna in Sicily. The noxious gas appears to refer to the gas vents that surround Mt. Etna.

See also Toponyms: JA.QI.

Entry added on 22 Dec 2012

KAIRO
回路 (n.) circuit, sea route

Compare

LA ka.i.ro
LA ki.ro > 岐路 kiro “one’s way back”
gear
Alb. xhiro “lap, round”
Fin. kierros “circuit, cycle, lap. ring, round, tour”
It. giro “circle, circuit, cycle, lap, round, tour, turn”
Gr. γῦρος (gyros) “circle, ring”
Nor. giro “tour”
year < O.E. gear “year” < Ger. jeram “year” < prob. from “that which [makes a complete cycle]”
- PIE *yer-o “year, season”
- Du. jaar
- Ger. Jahr
- O. Fris. ger

Notes: Compare Cairo, Egypt, which may well have been named by the Minoans for the frequent sea route. Compare, also, zero, which likely arises from giro, for its senses of round and completion, rather than from the Arabic cifr, as linguists have supposed.

Entry added on 16 Sep 2012

KANE
金 (n.) metal, money

Compare

Gr. γανάω (ganaô) “to gleam, to shine” (of metals)
Gr. καναχή (kanak^he) “the clash or ring of metal”

Notes: For an in-depth discussion about metalworking, see Naru Kanashi: Paradise Across the Ocean.

Entry added on 19 Aug 2014
Updated on 07 Dec 2014

KARATE
空手 (n.) the martial art of unarmed defense

Compare

Gr. κρατέω (krateo) “to be powerful, to be strong; to conquer, to get the upper hand”
Gr. παγκράτιον (pankration) “a complete contest; an exercise that combined boxing and wrestling”

Notes: See also The Minoan Origin of Karate.

Entry added on 19 Aug 2014

KARU
刈る (v.) to cut, to shear, to trim; to harvest, to reap; to mow

Compare

LA ka.ru > LB ka-ro
Gr. καρῶ (karo) “to cut, shear”
L. carere “to be separated from, to be without”
quarry “a pit from which stone is cut [in squares]” < M.E quarey, quarere < O.F. quarriere < quare “square stone”
quarry < L. carrariae
carve < O.E. ceorfan (past tense cearf) “to cut; to cut out, carve; to engrave” < W. Gmc kerfan < PIE *gerbh- “to scratch”
- PIE *gerbh- “to scratch”
- Du. kerven, Ger. kerben,
- O. Fris. kerva “to cut, notch”
- Gr. γράφειν (graphein) “to graze, scrape, scratch; to engrave”
- kerf < M.E. kyrf < O.E. cyrf “act of cutting”

Notes: Carrera marble is associated with Carrara, Italy, which is historically known for its marble quarries. Quarry workers are known as stone carvers [“Carrara”] or cutters. Consequently, curve should be considered as “a shape derived from carving”. Cf. also ki.ri.si > 切石 kiriishi “ashlar, hewn stone”.

Reference:

Carrara. Wikipedia.org. Ret. on 16 Jun 2012.

Entry added on 16 Jun 2012

KASHI

SHIKA

瑕疵 or 疵瑕 (n.) blemish, defect, flaw

Compare

ka.si > LB ka-si >
si.ka [see HT Wa 1014-18, 1027-28]
Gr. χάση (khase or khasi) “loss, ruin, waste”

Notes: Consider the Greek κασσί (kassi) “tin” and χεσι (khesi) “obscene (language)”. Perhaps χεσι has the sense of corrupt, as in copper corrupted with tin. Moreover, what is a defect if not “obscene” or “offensive to the senses”?

Entry added on 23 April 2014

KAWA
GAWA

川 or 巛 (n.) river, stream (rad. #47)

Compare

Goth. ahwa “water”
L. aqua “water”
PIE *akwa- “water”

Notes: See also ISSUI.

KI’ITO
生糸 (n.) raw-silk thread; silk

Compare

ki-to > Gr. χιτών (khiton) “tunic, garment worn next to the skin”; κιθών (kithon) Ionic for “tunic”
LB ki-to-na > χιτώνη (khitone) “epithet for Artemis, who wore a short, Dorian khiton
LB ki-to-ne > χιτῶνα (khitona) “tunic, garment worn next to the skin”
chiton “molluscs with ‘coat-of-mail’ shells” < Gr. khiton “tunic, coat of mail”
Aramaic kittuna
Akkadian kitintu “linen dress” < kitu, kitinnu “linen”
Heb. kuttoneth “coat”
cotton < O. Fr coton
- Du. katoen
- Ger. Kattun
- Ital. cotone

Notes: Cf. Laconian σηροκτόνος (seroktonos) “silk khiton“.

Entry added on 10 Dec 2012
Updated on 29 Nov 2014

KIRO
岐路 (n.) one’s way back

See KAIRO.

Entry added on 16 Sep 2012

KOFUN
古墳 (n.) ancient burial mound, tomb

Compare

It. cafano, Sp. cuebano “basket”
coffer < O.Fr. cofre “chest” < L. cophinus “basket”
coffin < O. Fr cofin “sarcophagus” < “basket, coffer” < L. cophinus “basket, hamper” < Gr. κόφινος (kophinus) “basket”

KOUFUN

興奮 (n.) agitation, arousal, excitement, stimulation

Compare

Gr. τάφος (taphos)/τάφον (taphon) (1) “burial”, “funerary rites”, “tomb, sepulcher”; (2) “amazement, astonishment”

Notes: kofun / koufun is possibly found in ku.pa3.nu [HT 1].

Entry added on 02 Jun 2012

KO’ONNA
小女 (n.) a maiden, a young woman (arch.)

Compare

Gr. χόανος (khoanos) “hollow for melting metal, melting pot”
Gr. ξόανα (xoana) “carved images”
Gal. Xoana “fem. form of John”
LA a.ko.a.ne (PK Za 11)

Notes: The association of these seemingly disparate words is found in the Greek images of deities, many of whom were female. For a discussion of materials and forms, see Naru Kanashi: The Paradise Across the Ocean. Donahue [1988] provides countless examples of these female xoana in his Appendix 1: Testimonia. Entry numbers rather than page numbers follow these examples:

“This remarkable xoanon Aeximenes erected to Aphrodite, the guardian of all navigation” (13).
“[T]he xoanon of the Mother of the Gods is made of a grape vine, because the grape vine is in like way sacred to Rhea” (26).
“[S]peaking of the xoanon of Hera in Tiryns, [Demetrius] records both its material as pear-tree wood, and its maker, Argus” (44).
“In accordance with an oracle, Orestes, coming with Pylades to the Taurians of Scythia, determined to steal away the xoanon of Artemis that is honored among them” (89).
“Ajax, the son of Ilis, tearing Cassandra away by force, dragged down the xoanon of Athena” (325).

While Rhea and Hera may be deemed matronly in their roles, Athena, Aphrodite, and Artemis were typically represented as young women. Compare the LA a.ra.tu.me [HT Wc 3024] and a.re.tu.mi [Za7], which are, perhaps, found in the archaic Japanese vocative iratsume “lass”. This may well be an early reference to Artemis, who, consistent with the depiction of the archer on the roundel, HT Wc 3024, was often represented as the Huntress.

Thus far, there is no translation for the LA a.ko.a.ne. However, in context, it may be one of the many references to Ida, the Idaean Mother.

Reference:

Donahue, A. A. 1988. Xoana and the Origins of Greek Sculpture. American Classical Studies: No. 15. Atlanta: Scholars Press.

Entry added on 25 Nov 2012

KOUTAN
後端 (n.) end, tail

Compare

coda < L. cauda “tail”
cut < M.E. cutten, kitten, prob. < Late O.E. cyttan
Ice. kuta “to cut with a knife”
O.Fr. couteau “knife”
O.N. kuti “knife”
Swed. kuta “(1) to cut, (2) knife”

Notes: E caudata is a linguistic term that refers to final e as in /æ /, /e/, or /ea/.

Entry added on 02 Jun 2012
Updated on 16 Jun 2012

KU
囗 (n.) box, enclosure (radical #31)
矩 (n.) quadrature [the process of squaring]

Compare

cube < M. Fr. cube < L. cubus < Gr. κύβος (kubos) “a cube, a six-sided figure”
quad “four-sided figure”
quadrant “a quarter of a day: six hours” < L. quadrantem “fourth part”
L. quadrare “to make square” < quadrus “a square” < quattuor “four”
quarry < L. quarreria “a place where stones are squared” < L. quadrare to make square”
square “with four equal sides and four right angles” < O. Fr. esquire “a square, squareness”

Notes: I suspect that the word, quad, arose from membership in the class of mathematical principles–monad, duad, triad, etc.–and is an ancient, alternate name for the tetrad (square). The quad‘s three-dimensional counterpart is the hexahedron (cube), a six-sided geometrical solid (also Pythagorean solid, Platonic solid) with six square faces. The cube is the symbol for earth. According to Schneider [1994: 67], the square is the “preeminent symbol for the ancient Earth Mother.”

The following Japanese words incorporate the square and the root “ku”:

ku, kuchi, guchi (口) “mouth”
ku (く) kanji for “ku”, which suggests two sides and one corner of a square
kuni (国) “country, earth, land” (see KUNI)

Reference:

Schneider, Michael S. 1994. A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe: The Mathematical Architypes of Nature, Art, and Science. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Entry added on 01 Dec 2012
Updated on 10 Apr 2013

KUMI
苦味 (n.) bitterness, bitter taste

Compare

ku-mi-no > Gr. κύμινον (kuminon) “cumin” or “cummin”
Arabic kammun “cumin
Hebrew kammon “cumin”

Notes: Cumin is also called bitter cumin, which appears to be redundant.

Entry added on 23 May 2013

KUMO
雲 (n.) cloud

Compare

cumulus “a heap” < L. cumulus “a heap, a mass, a pile; surplus”
Gr. κῦμα (kuma) “anything swollen as though pregnant”, such as “a billow [pillow], a wave”

Notes: Cumulus as “a rounded mass of clouds” is attested in 1803. Note that Japanese kumo also means “spider”, which may take its meaning from “a swollen or rounded mass”.

Entry added on 06 Jun 13
Updated on 28 Nov 2014

KUNI
国 (n.) country, earth, home, home country, land, region

Compare

kin “family, kind, race; kind, sort” < O.E. cynn < P. Gmc. kunjam “family”
kind “class, sort, variety” < O.E. gecynd “kind, nature, race”
Dan., Swed. kön
Goth. kuni “family, race”
O.E. cennan “beget, create”
O.Fris. kenn
O.H.G. chunni “kin, race”
O.N. kyn
O.S. kunni
king “ruler” < possibly O.E. cynn “family, race”

Notes: See also KU.

Entry added on 04 Aug 2012
Updated on 17 Mar 2013

KURUMA
車 (n.) car, chariot, vehicle, wheel

Compare

LA ku.ru.ma > LB ku-ru-me-ni-jo and ku-ru-me-no-jo [see PY An 654]
car < O.N.Fr. carre < L. carrum, currum “two-wheeled, Celtic war chariot”
Skt. karma “cycle, wheel”
Gr. ῥῦμα (hruma) “that which is drawn”
Gr. άρμα (arma) < ἅρμα (harma) [Hermes?] “chariot”
- armor < L. armatura “arms, equipment” < L. arma “arms, gear”
- army < M.L. armata “armed force”
- armada < M.L. armata “armed force”

Notes: The LB PY references belong to the body of “chariot” tablets from Pylos. Thus far, scholars have been unable to translate KU-RU-ME-NI-JO. The Gr. ῥῦμα (hruma) “that which is drawn” may imply bows or chariots (cf. kuruma). Compare ῥύμα (hruma) and ῥεῦμα (hreuma) “anything that flows, a stream”. The metaphor, “flood of men”, may relate to a battle context.

However, see Toponyms: KU.RU.MA (under revision) for more information about the chariot’s association to Hermes and about my proposed translation of the first part of PY An 654

Entry added on 02 Jun 2012
Updated on 25 Jan 2013

MAJI
蠱 (adj.) charmed and cursed

(n.) something that bewilders, leads one astray; the work of demons

Compare

LA ma.di > LB ma-di > Μηδίς (Medis) “a Median woman” > ma-di-qo (KN B 806, Dl 930, Dv 1460) > Μηδικός (Medikos) “the Median affairs” or μαγικός (magikos) “fit for the Magians; magical”
PIE *magh “to have power”
magic “the art of using hidden natural forces” < O.F. magique < Late L. magice “magic, sorcery”
mage “magician” < L. magus “magician”

Notes: An ancient name for Iran is Media, and its people were called Medes or the Medians [“Medes”]. As the Magi, the Medes were followers of pre-Zoroastrian Mazdaism [Magi”] and practiced the medical arts, for which Iran became known [“Ancient”]. Consequently, medicine and magic are confounded in ma-di-qo: Μηδικός and μαγικός. Medea, a devote of Hecate, was among the greatest sorceresses in Greek mythology. The myth explains how her son, Medus, became the king of the country that would eventually be called Media [“Medea”].

References:

Ancient Iranian Medicine. Wikipedia.org. Ret. on 08 Jan 2013.

Magi. Wikipedia.org. Ret. on 08 Jan 2013.
Medea. Pantheon.org. Ret. on 19 Jan 2013.
Medes. Wikipedia.org. Ret. on 08 Jan 2013.

See Toponyms: MA.DI for more information.

Entry added on 19 Jan 2013

MAKE
負け (n.) defeat, loss; losing (a game)

Compare

IE *magh– “to fight”
match “contest”
Gr. μάχομαι (makhomai) “to fight”
Jap. 区区 machimachi “conflicting, divergent”

Notes: The /ch/ in the Japanese machimachi is identical to the /ch/ in match. Consider also the possible related definition behind Machiavelli.

See also SAMA.

Entry added on 02 Jun 2012
Updated on 31 Aug 2012

MITSU
蜜 (n.) honey, nectar

Also MIDO or MI’IDO
ミード (n.) ambrosia, honey wine, mead, nectar of the gods

Compare

LA mi.tu (pronounced mitsu)
PIE *medhu– “honey, sweet drink”
mead < O.E. medu < P.Gmc. *meduz < PIE *medhu- “honey, sweet drink”
Breton mez “mead”
Ger. Met “mead”
Gr. μέθυ (methu)
Lith. medus “honey”
M. Du., O Fris. mede;
O.C.S. medu “honey”
O. Ir mid “mead”
Skt. madhu “honey, sweet, sweet drink, wine”
Welsh medd “mead”
meadow

Notes: Witzel (2005) recognizes mitsu as a Japanese word for the IE medhu-.

See Toponyms: MI.TU (under revision).

Entry added on 03 Jun 2012

MOTOI

基 (n.) (arch.) (1) basis, foundation; (2) cause

Compare

motivate “to stimulate toward action”
motive < O. Fr. motif “moving” and Med. Lat. motivus “impelling, moving”
motor “controller, prime mover” < L. motor “mover”
Fr. motif “dominant feature, theme”

Notes:

Entry added on 10 Apr 2013

MURA
群 (n.) gathering, group
村 (n.) village

Compare

mural “pertaining to walls”
Gr. μόρα (mora) “(military) division”

Notes: Many cities and villages historically have been surrounded by defensive walls.

Entry added on 17 Jan 2013
Updated on 16 Dec 2015

NATSU
夏 (n.) summer

Compare

nature < O.Fr. nature < L. natura “course of things, natural character, the universe”, “birth” < natus “born,” pp. of nasci “to be born”

Notes: The “birth” of nature occurs primarily in both spring and summer. If this word were to appear in LA, it would be transliterated as na.tu; cf. mi.tu (HT 117) to mitsu.

Entry added on 05 Jun 2012

OUDOU
王道 (n.) the noble path, the royal road; the easy method, a short cut

王 ou “king, magnate, ruler”
道 dou “course, path, roadway; journey”

Compare

Gr. ὁδός or οὐδός “a highway, a road; a manner, a method, a way; journeying, travelling”

Notes: Cf. 王 with AB *024 NE.

Entry added on 12 Apr 2018

ANRYUU
流 (n.) current, flow,

Compare

Gr. ρέω (^hreô) “to flow, to gush, to stream”
Sp. rio “river”

Notes: See also ANRYUU and ISSUI.

Entry added on 06 Sep 2020

SAMA
見栄え (n.) appearance

Compare

Gr. (Doric) σᾶμα (sama) or σῆμα (sêma) “a mark, a sign”> σημαντικός (semantikos) “significant” > Fr. sémantique > semantic
semaphore “apparatus for signaling” prob. < Fr. sémaphore “bearer of signals”

Notes: The first kanji in the Japanese logograph is 見 miru “to look at, to see, to view”.

Entry added on 31 Aug 2012

SANA
SANE
現実 (n.) reality, truth

Compare

sanity < M.Fr. sanité “health,” < L. sanitas “health, sanity,” < sanus “healthy, sane”
sense < O.Fr. sens < L. sensus “perception, feeling “
Goth sunja “truth”
O.E. soþ “true,” originally *sonþ– < P.Gmc. *santhaz
O.H.G. sand “true”
O.N sannr “true”

Entry added on 02 Jun 2012
Updated on 05 Jun 2012

SHIRO
白 (n.) silver, white

deleted information to be added

SOURO
甑炉 (n.) (obsc.) furnace for casting bronze

Compare

LB so-u-ro
Gr. σορός (soros) “vessel, esp. a cinerary urn”

Notes: In context, so-u-ro appears to be a reference to a bronze worker.

Entry added on 27 Sep 2013

TEKI
てき (n.) (abr.) beefsteak < bifuteki

Compare

LA te.ki
Gr. μπιφτεκι (bifteki) “burger, ground beef”

Notes: The Japanese teki may originally have been an abbreviation for tataki, which refers to meat that has been tenderized [“Tataki”]. Moreover, Greek tzatziki sauce is an accompaniment to beef dishes such as gyros and Moroccan beef, which, interestingly enough, is called kefta and which sounds similar to keftiu, a supposed reference to the Minoans [“Keftiu”].

See also The Decipherment of Linear A: HT 13 (under revision).

References:

Harry’s Greek Food and Wine Guide. Harry’s Greece Travel Guide. Ret. on 23 Dec. 2011. .
Keftiu. Wikipedia.org. Ret. on 23 Dec 2011.
Tataki. Wikipedia.org. Ret. on 23 Dec 2011.

Entry added on 17 Jun 2012

URANAI
占い (n.) fortune telling, divination

Compare

Aurana > L. Vrana
Uranus < Gk. ουρανός (ouranos) “heaven”
Croatian vrana “raven”, a bird associated with divination

Note: Urana (Vrana), which is located on the Dalmation coast, was the supposed ancient capital of the Marathonian district [Leake 1829: 167]. Raven may be a phonetic metathesis of vrana.

Entry added on 02 Jun 2012
Updated on 05 Apr 2018

YASHI
野師 (n.) charlatan, faker, quack

Compare

Gr. ἴασις (iasis) “healing, healing mode, remedy”
Gr. ἰατρός (iatros) “one who heals, physician”

Note: LB pa-ki-ja-si [PY Un 2 et al.] does not appear to have a complete Greek translation. However, assuming a compound word, the second word appears to be the Greek ἴασις. Moreover, cf. pa-ki-ja-si with the Japanese fukiyashi (see the phonetic key). Fuki is the Japanese name for butterbur (Petasites hybridus), which the ancient Greeks used when treating multiple ailments that included gastrointestinal complaints, headaches, inflammation, and lung diseases [“Butterbur”]. Consequently, in LB context, pa-ki-ja-si as fukiyashi, or, perhaps, fuki-iasis, may refer to a clan name that arose from its association with healing. At the moment, however, there appears to be no modern equivalent to this name.

Reference:

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus). Natural Standard. com. Ret. on 12.10.12.

Entry added on 10 Dec 2012

Konosos

Japanese Concordances with Indo-European (IE) Languages

INDEX

Leave a comment Cancel reply

INDEX

Share this:

Related

Leave a comment Cancel reply