etymology

[Hidenobu Funakoshi]

Hi Yves,

I am not an Okinawan, just simply a Japanese from mainland.
I get some results from a marine biologist residing Okinawa.

Mitsukuri (not Mitsikuri) was a distinguished professor of Tokyo Imperial
University, but apparently never an Okinawan speaker.

The most likely translation is as follows:
"Isu" is seemingly derived from "ishi" meaning stone. "Ga" or "gwa" is common
Okinawan suffix meaning small. So this epithet comes from "small stone"
in Okinawan.

Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
H.Funakoshi

>Dear colleagues,

>I was wondering if any of you speak Okinawan.
>This because my colleagues and I are trying to figure out the etymology
>of the species /Holothuria isuga/ Mitsikuri, 1912.

>The original publication gives the following explanation (Mitsikuri
>1912: 89): "The specific nale /isuga/ is the name given by the natives
>of Okinawa to this species, as I am told by Nabisa", that obviously
>helps us no further.

>Is it possible that isuga means 'digging' or 'burrowing' or something
>alike. It could as well be 'brown' also.

>Thank you for your input.

>With kind regards,

>Yves
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Hidenobu Funakoshi, Ph.D
Graduate School of Science, Shinshu University
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