Macro-Yaeyama languages

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

Macro-Yaeyama is one of the two branches of the Southern Ryukyuan languages, comprising 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 ɡábá píɾáɡíɕáːŋ sánìɕàːŋ
Taketomi bəi ɡə̀bə́ píːɾèsàŋ sənisəŋ
Hatoma bàì ɡàbà pìɾákèːŋ sàníjàŋ
Hateruma bëː ɡaba piɾiːsahaŋ sḁn̥iɕahaŋ
Yonaguni bai ɡaba çiɾaɡjaŋ ɕànáŋ
Miyako Ikema miː fu̥sɨ çiɡuɾukai hu̥kaɾasɨ̥kai
Ogami miː napa pukuɾukam pukaɾaskam
Tarama fukɨ naba piɡuɭɭaɭ pu̥kaɾaɕaːɭ
Amami Shodon 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]

  1. ^ Pellard, Thomas (2015). "The linguistic archeology of the Ryukyu Islands". In Heinrich, Patrick; Miyara, Shinsho; Shimoji, Michinori (eds.). Handbook of the Ryukyuan languages: History, structure, and use. De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 13–37. doi:10.1515/9781614511151.13. ISBN 978-1-61451-161-8. S2CID 54004881. pp. 18–20.