Okinawan (沖縄口 [ʔutɕinaːɡuti]; Okinawan: uchinaa-guchi, Japanese: okinawa-guchi) is a Ryukyuan language (or dialect) spoken in Japan on the southern island of Okinawa, as well as the surrounding islands of Kerama, Kume-jima, Tonaki, Aguni, and a number of smaller islands located to the east of the main island of Okinawa.
It is divided into two main dialects: Central (Standard, Shuri-Naha) and Southern. The Shuri dialect was standardized during the...
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Okinawan (沖縄口 [ʔutɕinaːɡuti]; Okinawan: uchinaa-guchi, Japanese: okinawa-guchi) is a Ryukyuan language (or dialect) spoken in Japan on the southern island of Okinawa, as well as the surrounding islands of Kerama, Kume-jima, Tonaki, Aguni, and a number of smaller islands located to the east of the main island of Okinawa.
It is divided into two main dialects: Central (Standard, Shuri-Naha) and Southern. The Shuri dialect was standardized during the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom, during the reign of King Shō Shin (1477-1526). It was the official language used by royalty and aristocracy. All of the songs and poems in the language from that era are written in the Shuri dialect.
The speech of Northern Okinawa is usually considered a separate language; see Kunigami language.
Okinawan has three short vowels, /a i u/, and five long vowels, /aː eː iː oː uː/. Note that /u/ is rounded, unlike in Japanese.
Bracketed phones are phonemic only before some vowels. See below for details.
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