Ainu Morpheme Explorer
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Yoichi, Shiribeshi region, Hokkaidō

山碓

やまうす Yamausu

The article calls the name harder to read than it looks.

Ainu spellings: Yamusi, Yamusir

Analyses

yam-us-i

ヤムシ

proposed

place where chestnuts grow thick

Proponent: zenibako_trek（小樽銭函地名歴史研究会） (zenibako_trek (Otaru Zenibako Place-Name and History Society))

Yoichi is spoken of as the northern limit of wild chestnut, and chestnuts are still grown in places there. On the variant reading with sir the referent is Shiripa-yama seen as a chestnut mountain.

Variants

  • yam-us-sir ‘mountain where chestnuts grow thick’ — The reading for the spelling ヤマウシリ.

Objections

  • There is a Yamaushi at Kitami-Esashi as well, where chestnut appears not to grow. — zenibako_trek zenibako_trek2024
zenibako_trek2024 山碓（ヤマウス）田村1996 s.v. yam 栗(の実)
Analysis details
Confidence: low

yam 'chestnut' is a Tamura headword in the sense used, the us-i shape is common in place names, and it matches the Edo spellings. The author raises the Kitami-Esashi parallel against the reading.

Attestations

  • ヤマシ／ヤマウシ／ヤマウシリ map Edo period 江戸時代の絵図

Sources