Macro-Yaeyama
Geographic
distribution
Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa Prefecture
Linguistic classificationJaponic
Subdivisions
Glottologmacr1267

Macro-Yaeyama is one of the two branches of the Southern Ryukyuan languages, comprised of the Yaeyama and Yonaguni languages. It is defined by the development of 'know' as a potential auxiliary, the semantic extension of 'nephew' to being gender-neutral, and unique forms of the words exhibited by the table below.

Macro-Yaeyama Innovations
Region of Speech 'bud' 'dirt' 'fresh' 'happy'
Macro-

Yaeyama

Ishigaki báí gábá píɾágíɕáːŋ sánìɕàːŋ
Taketomi bəi gə̀bə́ píːɾèsàŋ sənisəŋ
Hatoma bàì gàbà pìɾákèːŋ sàníjàŋ
Hateruma bëː gaba piɾiːsahaŋ sḁn̥iɕahaŋ
Yonaguni bai gaba çiɾagjaŋ ɕànáŋ
Miyako Ikema miː fu̥sɨ çiguɾukai hu̥kaɾasɨ̥kai
Ogami miː napa pukuɾukam pukaɾaskam
Tarama fukɨ naba piguɭɭaɭ pu̥kaɾaɕaːɭ
Amami Amami mɘ̆ː çîɡ.ɾú sɨdaɕa ʔuhoɾaɕa
Okinawa Nakijin mìdùɾí píŋɡù ɕìdàːɕêŋ ɸù̥kùɾáɕèŋ

Although Yonaguni has historically been classified as either a primary branch of Ryukyuan or of the Southern Ryukyuan languages, its close relationship with Yaeyama is clear.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ Yamada, Masahiro; Pellard, Thomas; Shimoji, Michinori (2015). Heinrich, Patrick; Miyara, Shinsho; Shimaji, Michinori (eds.). Handbook of the Ryukyuan Languages: History, Structure, and Use. Handbooks of Japanese Language and Linguistics. Vol. 11. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 18–20. ISBN 978-1-61451-161-8.

Category:Languages of Japan Category:Ryukyuan languages Category:Ryukyu Islands