Gaya language
Encyclopedia
Gaya also transliterated Kara, is the presumed language of the Gaya confederacy
in southern Korea
. It is supposedly attested from thirteen toponyms, but it cannot be certain that these reflect the Gaya language itself rather than an earlier language. These place names appear to be in a language related to Japanese
, and constitute part of the evidence for the Japanese–Koguryoic hypothesis
. However, Koguryo (Goguryeo) itself came from further north, and may have been a language related to Korean
that replaced Japonic languages in southern Korea. As Gaya grew out of one of the Samhan
nations, it may be that the Goguryeo-derived elite language of Baekje
was related to Korean, while the indigenous Samhan language was related to Gaya, assuming they were not both related to Korean. That is, Gaya might not be one of the Buyeo languages
but rather part of Japonic
.
The name Gaya is Korean, from the modern transcription 加耶 (伽倻). However, it was difficult to render the languages of Korea into Chinese characters before the invention of hangul
, and a variety of historical forms are found. (See Gaya confederacy#Names.) Generally Gaya was transcribed as Kaya (加耶) or Karak (伽落), but the transcription in the oldest sources is Kara (加羅), and philological reconstruction points towards MC
*kayia, from Ancient Chinese *kala = *kara. Beckwith considers the pronunciation kaɾa "certain", so the language is also known as Kara, for example in Ethnologue
.
Gaya confederacy
Gaya was a confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period.The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is 42–532 CE...
in southern Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. It is supposedly attested from thirteen toponyms, but it cannot be certain that these reflect the Gaya language itself rather than an earlier language. These place names appear to be in a language related to Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, and constitute part of the evidence for the Japanese–Koguryoic hypothesis
Buyeo languages
Buyeo or Fuyu languages are a hypothetical language family that consists of ancient languages of the northern Korean Peninsula and southern Manchuria and possibly Japan. According to Chinese records, the languages of Buyeo, Goguryeo, Dongye, Okjeo, Baekje—and possibly Gojoseon—were similar...
. However, Koguryo (Goguryeo) itself came from further north, and may have been a language related to Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
that replaced Japonic languages in southern Korea. As Gaya grew out of one of the Samhan
Samhan
The Samhan period of Korean history comprises confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan in central and southern Korean peninsula, during the final century BCE and the early centuries CE....
nations, it may be that the Goguryeo-derived elite language of Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
was related to Korean, while the indigenous Samhan language was related to Gaya, assuming they were not both related to Korean. That is, Gaya might not be one of the Buyeo languages
Buyeo languages
Buyeo or Fuyu languages are a hypothetical language family that consists of ancient languages of the northern Korean Peninsula and southern Manchuria and possibly Japan. According to Chinese records, the languages of Buyeo, Goguryeo, Dongye, Okjeo, Baekje—and possibly Gojoseon—were similar...
but rather part of Japonic
Japonic languages
Japonic languages is a term which identifies and characterises the Japanese which is spoken on the main islands of Japan and the Ryukyuan languages spoken in the Ryukyu Islands. This widely accepted linguistics term was coined by Leon Serafim....
.
The name Gaya is Korean, from the modern transcription 加耶 (伽倻). However, it was difficult to render the languages of Korea into Chinese characters before the invention of hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
, and a variety of historical forms are found. (See Gaya confederacy#Names.) Generally Gaya was transcribed as Kaya (加耶) or Karak (伽落), but the transcription in the oldest sources is Kara (加羅), and philological reconstruction points towards MC
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese , also called Ancient Chinese by the linguist Bernhard Karlgren, refers to the Chinese language spoken during Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties...
*kayia, from Ancient Chinese *kala = *kara. Beckwith considers the pronunciation kaɾa "certain", so the language is also known as Kara, for example in Ethnologue
Ethnologue
Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International , a Christian linguistic service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, to provide the speakers with Bibles in their native language and support their efforts in language development.The Ethnologue...
.