Index: > A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Home > Okinawan language

Okinawan (Okinawan Uchinaaguchi) is a Ryukyuan language 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 three main dialects: Northern ( Kunigami dialect of Kunigami), Central (Standard, Shuri - Naha), and Southern. The Shuri dialect was standardized during the era of the Ryukyuan Kingdom, during the reign of King Sho 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.

Hiragana for Okinawan

When written in the Japanese syllabary Hiragana, the sound values are not the same as their regular Japanese values:

え⇒I
お⇒U
け⇒KI
こ⇒KU
せ⇒SI
そ⇒SU
て⇒TI
と⇒TU
ね⇒NI
の⇒NU
へ⇒HI
ほ⇒HU
め⇒MI
も⇒MU
よ⇒YU
れ⇒RI
ろ⇒RU
ゑ⇒WI
を⇒WU
げ⇒GI
ご⇒GU
ぜ⇒ZI
ぞ⇒ZU
で⇒DI
ど⇒DU
べ⇒BI
ぺ⇒PI
ぼ⇒BU
ぽ⇒PU

あい⇒EE
あう⇒OO
かい⇒KEE
かう⇒KOO
さい⇒SEE
さう⇒SOO
たい⇒TEE
たう⇒TOO
ない⇒NEE
なう⇒NOO
はい⇒HEE
はう⇒HOO
まい⇒MEE
まう⇒MOO
やい⇒YEE
やう⇒YOO
らい⇒REE
らう⇒ROO
わい⇒WEE
わう⇒WOO
がい⇒GEE
がう⇒GOO
ざい⇒ZEE
ざう⇒ZOO
だい⇒DEE
だう⇒DOO
ばい⇒BEE
ぱい⇒PEE
ばう⇒BOO
ぱう⇒POO

くわ⇒KWA
くい⇒KWI
くゐ⇒KWI
くえ⇒KWI
くゑ⇒KWI
くわい⇒KWEE
くあい⇒KWEE
ぐわ⇒GWA
ぐい⇒GWI
ぐゐ⇒GWI
ぐえ⇒GWI
ぐゑ⇒GWI
ぐわい⇒GWEE
ぐあい⇒GWEE

etc.

Japonic languages

Politics	Business	Finance

Topics: Okinawan Language Shuri Dialect Values Okinawa Islands Island...

Okinawan languageOkinawan (Okinawan Uchinaaguchi is a Ryukyuan language 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 Oki

OkinawanOkinawan may refer to: The languages or dialects of Okinawa see: Ryukyuan languages The people of Okinawa see: Ryukyuans Of or relating to Okinawa Note: The word Okinawa is virtually synonymous with the older word Ryukyu.

Non User