What is proto-japonic?

Proto-Japonic refers to the hypothetical proto-language thought to have been spoken by the ancestors of the Japanese people. It is believed to have been spoken around 2,500 to 1,500 BC, during the Jōmon period, a prehistoric era in Japan.

Proto-Japonic is reconstructed based on archaeological findings, loanwords from other languages, and the comparative analysis of modern Japanese dialects. Linguists have proposed various theories about the origin and genetic relationship of Proto-Japonic, but there is no consensus yet.

Some characteristics of Proto-Japonic include:

• A syllable structure of (C)V, where C represents a consonant and V represents a vowel.
• A complex system of honorific and humble forms, which became an important aspect of Japanese culture.
• A relatively small inventory of consonants, with no distinction between voiced and voiceless stops, and no fricatives or affricates.
• A complex pitch accent system, where the pitch contour of a word determines its meaning.

Proto-Japonic is considered a language isolate, meaning it has no known genetic relationship with other languages. However, some linguists have proposed a distant connection with languages in the Uralic, Tungusic, or Altaic language families, among others. These proposals remain controversial and remain subject to ongoing research.