んむん

Yonaguni

Etymology 1

From Proto-Ryukyuan *kum-. Possibly related to Japanese 踏む (fumu), which means "to wear clothes" in Kyushu dialects, but the sound change to *k- in Proto-Ryukyuan is irregular.

Pronunciation

• (Sonai) IPA^(key): [m̀múɴ] (tone class A)

Verb

んむん (nmun) 

1. (transitive) to wear (footwear, such as shoes)

   あちだんむん

   achidanmun

   to wear geta shoes

   すーや　がっくんき　あらぐつ　んみ　ひんだんぎ

   sūya gakkunki aragutsu nmi hindangi

   Today, I will go to school wearing my new shoes.

   すか゚てぃ　ないか゚しや　あがみてぃんたや　あらあちだ　んみてぃ　たくあぎ　あんびたん

   su'ngati nai'ngashiya agamitintaya arāchida nmiti takuagi anbitan

   On New Years, my child wears new geta shoes, and flies a kite (around).

Etymology 2

From Proto-Ryukyuan *kum-.

Pronunciation

• (Sonai) IPA^(key): [m̀múɴ] (tone class A)

Verb

んむん (nmun) 

1. to draw (water)

   うぶるし　みん　んむん

   uburushi min nmun

   (I) drew water in Uburu.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Ryukyuan *kum-. Possibly related to Japanese 踏む (fumu, “to tread”), but the sound change to *k- in Proto-Ryukyuan is irregular.

Pronunciation

• (Sonai) IPA^(key): [m̀múɴ] (tone class A)

Verb

んむん (nmun) 

1. (transitive, preceding a noun) to tread on; to step on (...)

   うま　んむんなよ

   uma nmunnayo

   Don't step here!

Etymology 4

From Proto-Ryukyuan *kum-.

Pronunciation

• (Sonai) IPA^(key): [m̀mùɴ] (tone class B)

Verb

んむん (nmun) 

1. to bind, to join together, to produce

   あく゚いし　うだ　んむん

   a'nguishi uda nmun

   to produce woven bags from the sugar palms

References

• Yonaguni Hōgen Jiten Henshū I'inkai (与那国方言辞典編集委員会) (2021) どぅなんむぬい辞典 [Dunanmunui Dictionary], Yonaguni (与那国町): Yonaguni-chō Kyōiku I'inkai (与那国町教育委員会), page 341