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| Macro-Yaeyama | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Yaeyama Islands,Okinawa Prefecture |
| Linguistic classification | Japonic
|
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | macr1267 |
Macro-Yaeyama is one of the two branches of theSouthern Ryukyuan languages, comprising theYaeyama andYonaguni languages. It is defined by the development of "know" as a potentialauxiliary, the semantic extension of "nephew" to being gender-neutral, and unique forms of the words exhibited by the table below.
| 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 ofRyukyuan or of theSouthern Ryukyuan languages, its close relationship with Yaeyama is clear.[1]