人：difference between ひと and -うと


There are two readings of 人, as in these two examples: 恋人【こいびと】 and 素人【しろうと】

Why is 素人 (among others) the way it is and not しろひと or しろびと?

Furthermore, 狩人 is かりゅうど. Why is the final mora voiced here?




This phenomenon is called
[onbin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_phonology#Onbin) “euphonic
sound change”, specifically _u_ -onbin,
[ウ音便](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9F%B3%E4%BE%BF#.E3.82.A6.E9.9F.B3.E4.BE.BF),
and in this case consists of ひと → うと ( _hito_ → _uto_ ), or びと → うど ( _bito_ →
_udo_ ) with _rendaku,_ in some cases combined with vowel changes (these are
the same you see in modern forms of historic kana spellings).

The basic native reading (kun'yomi) is _hito_ (there’s also _ri,_ as in
[一]{ひと}[人]{り} _hito-ri,_ [二]{ふた}[人]{り} _futa-ri_ ); with _rendaku_ this may
become _bito._

In the case of [素人]{しろうと}, originally [白人]{しろひと} (white person, for
“inexperieced”), this underwent しろひと → しろうと, _shirohito_ → _shirouto_ →
_shirōto_ (note that _ou_ → _ō_ is not reflected as a change in kana).

In the case of [狩人]{かりゅうど}, this underwent かりびと → かりうど → かりゅうど, _karibito_ →
_kariudo_ → _karyuudo_ → _karyūdo_ – note the additional vowel change.

An example that includes a familiar sound change is [仲人]{なこうど} “matchmaker”,
from なかびと → なかうど → なこうど ( _nakabito_ → _nakaudo_ → _nakoudo_ → _nakōdo_ ).
This underwent the あう → おう ( _au_ → _ou_ → _ō_ ) sound change you’re familiar
with in [お早う]{おはよう} (from _hayaku_ → _hayau_ → _hayou_ → _hayō_ ).

There are many more details at Wikipedia, both in English and Japanese!




This phenomenon is called
[onbin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_phonology#Onbin) “euphonic
sound change”, specifically _u_ -onbin,
[ウ音便](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9F%B3%E4%BE%BF#.E3.82.A6.E9.9F.B3.E4.BE.BF),
and in this case consists of ひと → うと ( _hito_ → _uto_ ), or びと → うど ( _bito_ →
_udo_ ) with _rendaku,_ in some cases combined with vowel changes (these are
the same you see in modern forms of historic kana spellings).

The basic native reading (kun'yomi) is _hito_ (there’s also _ri,_ as in
[一]{ひと}[人]{り} _hito-ri,_ [二]{ふた}[人]{り} _futa-ri_ ); with _rendaku_ this may
become _bito._

In the case of [素人]{しろうと}, originally [白人]{しろひと} (white person, for
“inexperieced”), this underwent しろひと → しろうと, _shirohito_ → _shirouto_ →
_shirōto_ (note that _ou_ → _ō_ is not reflected as a change in kana).

In the case of [狩人]{かりゅうど}, this underwent かりびと → かりうど → かりゅうど, _karibito_ →
_kariudo_ → _karyuudo_ → _karyūdo_ – note the additional vowel change.

An example that includes a familiar sound change is [仲人]{なこうど} “matchmaker”,
from なかびと → なかうど → なこうど ( _nakabito_ → _nakaudo_ → _nakoudo_ → _nakōdo_ ).
This underwent the あう → おう ( _au_ → _ou_ → _ō_ ) sound change you’re familiar
with in [お早う]{おはよう} (from _hayaku_ → _hayau_ → _hayou_ → _hayō_ ).

There are many more details at Wikipedia, both in English and Japanese!

