The Etymology of “Manchu”: A Critical Evaluation of the Riverside Hypothesis

Abstract

Manchu is the name of a people that has an important place in world history. While the list of etymologies of the name already encompasses several dozen proposals, none is widely accepted. The most promising etymology from a linguistic perspective can be characterized as the “riverside hypothesis”. It states that the name is that of the lower Amur that was later used for peoples living along that river. This paper takes a fresh look at this hypothesis, discussing previous approaches, rejecting earlier arguments against it, and evaluating the plausibility of the hypothesis by establishing a detailed semantic model and a list of sound laws. It concludes that, despite minor phonological issues, the hypothesis is very likely the correct one.