Proto-Kui-Kuwi : *njēnǯ-u/*njāc-u
Meaning : today
Kui : nēnju
Kuwi (Fitzgerald) : ninjū
Kuwi (Schulze) : nīnju
Sunkarametta Kuwi : nīnju
Parja Kuwi : nēnju
Kuwi (Israel) : nīnju
Additional forms : Also Kui ro-nisi, (K) ro-nese one day; ri-nisi, (K) ri-nese two days; Kuwi_Su ro nēcu one day; Kuwi_S nācu day
Notes : A tough case. It is obvious that a) we deal with at least two different forms, one meaning 'today', the other simply 'day'; b) the correspondences in vocalism are too complex for us to suggest a simple solution. Both forms seem to begin with a yot-cluster, which accounts for changes in vocalism. The form *nyēnj- is reconstructed on the basis of Kui and Kuwi_P as well as external data; the variant *nyīnj- is less probable. The other form is reconstructed as *nyāc-, with the development similar to that of initial *yā-. In Kui we could expect *naci; however, if the accent in Kui falls on the first syllable (ró-nisi), the development is regular because of reduction (see 5151 on the subject).
Number in DED : 2920
