PLACE-NAMES.
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Jap'se Pronunciation. | Ainu Form. | Derivation and Meaning. |
Kushiro | Kush-ru | "A passage," "The way through (presumably from Apa-shiri to the South-east coast.) |
Kusuri | Kusuri-kotan | The place of hot springs." "The medicine place." Kusuri is said by the Ainu to be an Ainu word and not distinctively Japnese. |
Makaribetsu | Makkari-pet | "The river which circles back." From Mak, "back"; Karip, "a wheel," and pet. The root kari also occurs in the name Ishkari. |
Makunkotan | Mak-un-kotan | "The hinder village" or "place." |
Maonai | Mau-nai | "Windy valley" (Mau may also mean the "beach rose" (i.e. Rosa-rugosa). |
Mashke | Meshke-i | "The place of the land-slip." |
Matomanai | Mat-oma-nai | "The valley with the lagoons" or "peninsulas." Compare Matsumai. |
Matsukotan | Mata kotan | "Winter village" or "winter residence." Probably referring to the pits the Ainu used to inhabit during the winter months. |
Matsumai | Mat-oma-i | "The place of the lagoons" or "peninsulas." The t determines ma to be plural. |
Mauka | Mau-ka | "A windy place" Lit: mau, "wind" ka, "at the head." |
Meakan | Me-akan-pet-nuburi | "The mountain of the cold made river." See akan-pet. (But the me in this name may be Japanese, and if so it means "female.") |