なば

Japanese

Etymology 1

Compound of な (na, the 未然形 (mizenkei, “irrealis form”) of ぬ (nu, particle of perfect tense)) +‎ ば (ba, conditional suffix).

First cited in the Man'yōshū of 759.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [na̠ba̠]

• pitch accent depends on the verb to which this suffix attaches

Suffix

なば • (-naba) 

1. [from 759] (Classical Japanese) used for anticipating and assuming how something goes when the matter is completed
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 15, poem 3710:

     之保(しほ)非(ひ)奈婆(なば)　麻多(また)母(も)和礼(われ)許牟(こむ)　伊射(いざ)遊賀武(ゆかむ)　於伎都(おきつ)志保佐為(しほさゐ)　多可久(たかく)多知伎奴(たちきぬ) [Man'yōgana]

     潮(しほ)干(ひ)なば　またも我(われ)来(こ)む　いざ行(ゆ)かむ　沖(おき)つ潮騒(しほさゐ)　高(たか)く立(た)ち来(き)ぬ [Modern spelling]

     <Sipo pi₂naba mata mo₂ ware ko₂mu iza yukamu oki₁ tu siposawi takaku tatiki₁nu>
     → Shio hinaba mata mo ware komu iza yukamu oki tsu shiosai takaku tachikinu

     When the tide hath ebbed, I'll come here again; now 'tis time to go, offshore whitecaps have come arisen high.

2. [from 759] (Classical Japanese) used to state the speaker's expectation if something were the case certainly
   • 1739, Ishida Baigan (石田梅岩), Tohi Mondō (都鄙問答), book 2:

     心(こころ)だにまことの道(みち)にかなひなば祈(いの)らずとても神(かみ)や守(まも)らん

     kokoro dani makoto no michi ni kanainaba inorazu tote mo kami ya mamoran

     If at least thine heart hath agreed with the true path, then the god will protect thee even if thou prayest not.

Etymology 2

According to one theory, a shortening of 蘖(なばえ) (nabae, “a bud growing from a tree stump”), of which the na- element is of uncertain origin. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Cognate with Kunigami なばー (nabā, “mushroom”), Okinawan なーば (nāba, “mushroom”), Miyako なば (naba, “dirt, filth; scurf on body skin”), Yonaguni なば (naba, “mushroom”).

First cited to the Myōgoki of 1275.

Pronunciation

• (Hiroshima) な​ば [náꜜbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Yugi, Hiroshima) な​ば [náꜜbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Fukuoka) な​ば [náꜜbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Kitagata, Saga) な​ば [náꜜbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Kitagata, Saga) な​ば [náꜜbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Kagami, Kumamoto) なば​ [nàbáꜜ] (Odaka – [2])
• (Notsu, Oita) な​ば [náꜜbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [na̠ba̠]

Noun

なば • (naba) 

1. [from 1275] 茸: (dialectal, Chūgoku, Kyūshū, western part of Shikoku) mushroom

   Synonym: 茸 (kinoko)

   今晩(こんばん)、なば煮(に)ちゃろういね。

   Konban, naba nicharōine.

   Tonight, I'm a-goin' to boil mushrooms for ye. (Shimonoseki dialect)

   くそなば ― kusonaba ― (Hiroshima dialect): inedible mushrooms (literally, “shitty mushrooms”)

   • 1275, Myōgoki (名語記):
     (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this quotation?)

     又(マタ)茸(クサヒラ) _ヲ 鎮西(チンゼイ) _ナトニハ 「ナ〪ハ〫〫」 _ト イヘリ

     mata kusahira o Chinzei nado ni wa "nàbá" to ieri

     Also, kusahira [old name of "mushroom"] is called "naba" (with <LH> tone) in Chinzei (Kyushu) etc.

   • 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho:

     Naba. ナバ(なば). または, qinoco (茸). 茸. 下(X.)の語.

     Naba. ナバ(なば). または, qinoco (茸). 茸. 下(X.)の語.

     Naba. Also [called] kinoko. Mushroom. Used in Kyushu.

Derived terms

• きなば (kinaba, “wood ear”, Kagoshima dialect)