Okinawan language

The Okinawan or uchināguchi (Japanese: kanji 沖縄語, kana おきなわご and rōmaji Okinawan-go; in Okinawan 沖縄口, うちなーぐち and Uchinaaguchi, respectively) is a language spoken in Okinawa and on the islands: Kerama, Kumejima, Tonaki, Aguni and other nearby islands, in the southernmost part of Japan. It is the only Ryukyuan language that has been able to thrive with the modernization of the island; an estimated 900,000 people speak it. Within Japan, this language is called 沖縄方言 (Okinawan hōgen, or in English, 'Okinawan dialect').

Classification

The Okinawan language belongs to the Ryukyuan family, which forms with Japanese and its dialects the Japonic family.

Spelling

The Okinawan language uses a mixture of kanji and hiragana. Hiragana is believed to have been introduced from Japan to the Okinawa Islands. Kanji was introduced piecemeal due to the heavy influence of Japan and the similarities between the Okinawan and Japanese languages.

Grammar

It follows the formula of the Japanese language Subject + Object + Verb and makes use of particles like Japanese. Dialects of this language have a host of features of Classical Japanese—such as the distinction between the terminal and the attributive form. The genitive function of が ga (unused in the Shuri dialect), the nominative use of ぬ nu (in Japanese it would be the particle の no).

Some particles

First it will be said in Okinawan and then its Japanese equivalent.

• .(Nkai) →
• ##(Sshi) → Δ(De): Indicates for which object an action is made.
• ♫(Tee),♪(yoo) → γ(Ne): A particle that indicates an emphasis with expectation of response.
• : This is not used in modern Okinawense, its equivalent in Japanese would be ANTE(O).
• (ya) → tile (wa): Particle of the theme of prayer. This particle usually merges with the following sound this way:

• • a + already oriented aa
  • i + already oriented ee. Example: kuri ya  kuree (this is it).
  • u + already ▪ oo oo. Example: kutu ya  kutoo (the thing).
  • n + already oriented No.. Exception: Wan already (I am). This is seen more than everything in literary works and songs; although it can also be said wan'nee.
  • Long vowels do not merge with it. Example: Uchinaa already (Okinawa is...).

Copulation

First it will be said in Okinawan and then its Japanese equivalent.

• ♫ ♫ ♫ (abiin) or ̄s wisdom (ibiin) →
• い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い い 。 (yaibiin) →
• 😉 『 (deebiru) →

All of these forms have a form in the past tense.

Questions

First it will be said in Okinawan, then in Japanese and finally in Spanish.

•  (ichi?) .

• ▪ (jiru?) ) margin (dore?) Which one?

• Русский (taa?)  (dare?) Who?

• 繁體字 Français(tattaa?)  ? (daredare?)  Who?

• ∅ (chaa?)  ? (dou?)  How?

• (nuu?) 한 (nani?)  What?

• ramework (nuunchi?) Why?

• (maa)  ? (doko?)  Where?

Geographic distribution

Okinawan is spoken in Okinawa, on the surrounding islands: Kerama, Kume-jima, Tonaki, Aguni, and on numerous smaller islands east of the main island of Okinawa.

Dialects

It is divided into three main dialects: Northern (Kunigami), Central or Standard (Shuri-Naha), and Southern. The Shuri dialect was standardized in the era of the Ryukyuan kingdom during the reign of Sho Shin (1477-1526). It was the official language, used by royalty and the aristocracy. All the songs and poems written in this language in that era used the Shuri dialect.

Diachronic evolution of the vowel system

There were important changes in the sounds of that language over time. With respect to standard Japanese, the Shuri dialect presents the following differences, which may be vowels (case of changes e -> i, and also o -> u) or syllabic:

Japanese syllabary values are different in the Okiwanan language. The following list gives a sample of the changes in the pronunciation of syllables; the first character is the hiragana script, followed by the Okiwanan pronunciation and then the Japanese pronunciation:

From the previous examples it can be deduced that some syllables have changed consistently, such as the change from A to E, and from E to I.

Example