A Proposed Resolution to the Problem of Geographical Inversion in Japanese Language Origins

This paper concerns the odd absence of Japanese-like words in areas of ancient Korea where pre-Japanese peoples lived, the so-called problem of geographical inversion. I discuss some of the models proposed for the linguistic prehistory of Korea, and show why Unger's (2009) "para-Japanese" theory is the better model of pre-Japanese linguistic origins on the peninsula. Building on this, I propose a "Pre-Yayoi" model of para-Japanese that explains the geographical inversion of Japanese-like place names that draws on the linguistic dynamics of cultural conflict between pre-Korean and pre-Japanese populations. This resolves one of the most significant problems in understanding the origins of Japanese language on the peninsula