The Japonic languages or Japanese-Ryukyuan languages is a language family that descended from a common ancestral language known as Proto-Japonic or Proto-Japanese-Ryukyuan. The essential feature of this hypothesis is that the first split in the family resulted in the separation of all dialects of Japanese proper from all dialects of Ryukyuan. Some linguists reserve judgment on this point because much is still unknown about the history of the settlement of the Ryukyu Islands by the ancestors of their current inhabitants (when each island was settled, and where each group came from). In their view, the term Proto-Japanese is preferable until clearer evidence on these questions emerges.^{[citation needed]} A language family is a group of languages related by descent from a common proto-language. ... The classification of the Japanese language is uncertain and disputed. ... The Ryukyuan languages are spoken in the Ryukyu Islands and in Japans Kagoshima Prefecture, and make up a subfamily of the Japonic language family. ... A language family is a group of languages related by descent from a common proto-language. ... Location of Ryukyu Islands The Ryukyu Islands, in Japanese called the Nansei Islands ) are a chain of Japanese islands in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit of the East China Sea. ...

Members

The Japonic (or Japanese-Ryukyuan) languages are:

• Japanese languages (日本語)
  • Hachijō (conservative dialects of the Hachijōjima and Daitō Islands, including Aogashima)
  • Mainland Japanese
    • Eastern Japanese, most dialects from Nagoya east
    • Western Japanese, most dialects west of Nagoya
    • Kyūshū, most of Kyūshū
    • Satsugū, southern Kyūshū, around Satsuma

• Ryukyuan languages (琉球語)
  • Amami (奄美語)
    • Northern Amami
      • Tanegashima dialect
      • Yakushima dialect
      • Northern Oshima dialect
    • Southern Amami
      • Southern Oshima dialect
      • Yoron dialect
  • Okinawan languages (沖縄語)
    • Kunigami (or Northern Okinawan)
    • Ie
    • (South-Central) Okinawan (Standard Okinawan)
    • Shimajiri (the classification of the Shimajiri dialects are uncertain, but are often included geographically as Southern Okinawan)
  • Miyako (宮古語)
    • Miyako dialect
    • Irabu dialect
  • Yaeyama (八重山語)
    • Ishigaki dialect
    • Iriomote dialect
    • Taketomi dialect
  • Yonaguni (与那国語)

Not to be confused with the Javanese language. ... // Japanese has its share of regional dialects (hōgen ). The lingua franca of Japan is called kyōtsÅ«go ( lit. ... Map of Islands Location Hachijōjima (八丈島 Hachijō-jima; Hachijō Island) is a Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean, 300 km south of Tokyo. ... Daitō Islands (大東諸島 Daitō Shotō; formerly Borodino Islands) are three eastern islands of Okinawa Islands. ... Nagoya ) is the fourth largest city in Japan. ... // Japanese has its share of regional dialects (hōgen ). The lingua franca of Japan is called kyōtsÅ«go ( lit. ... // Japanese has its share of regional dialects (hōgen ). The lingua franca of Japan is called kyōtsÅ«go ( lit. ... Satsuma is the name of a town in Japan, Satsuma, Kagoshima, the surrounding district, Satsuma District, Kagoshima, the former province, Satsuma Province, which is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, a revolt, the Satsuma Rebellion. ... The Ryukyuan languages are spoken in the Ryukyu Islands and in Japans Kagoshima Prefecture, and make up a subfamily of the Japonic language family. ... Amami is a language spoken by around 130000 people in the Amami islands south of Kyushu. ... Yoshinobu Launch Complex (© JAXA) in Tanegashima Tanegashima (Japanese: 種子島) is an island lying to the south of Kyushu, south Japan, and is part of the Kagoshima Prefecture. ... Yakushima ) is an island of about 500km² and roughly 15 000 islanders to the south of KyÅ«shÅ« in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. ... Oshima ( Japanese: 大島) is the name of several places in Japan. ... Oshima ( Japanese: 大島) is the name of several places in Japan. ... The Kunigami language is a colloquial variant of the Okinawan language that is spoken largely in the Kunigami district of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. ... Ie (Kunigami: Ë€iː; Japanese: 伊江村 -son) is a village located in Kunigami district, Okinawa, Japan. ... Okinawan (Okinawan: Ê”ucināguci) 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. ... Shimajiri (島尻郡; -gun) is a district located in Okinawa, Japan. ... Miyako is a language spoken by around 55783 people in the Miyako archipelagic area (including Miyako Island), south of Okinawa Island. ... There are a few places in Japan known as Miyako. ... Irabu (伊良部町; -chou) is a town located in Miyako district, Okinawa, Japan. ... Yaeyama is a language spoken by around 44650 people in the Yaeyama islands south of the Miyako area of the Ryukyus. ... Ishigaki (石垣市; -shi) is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. ... Map of Irimote Island and the other Yaeyama Islands Iriomote from space, August 1991 Iriomote (西表島 Iriomote-jima) is the largest of the Yaeyama Islands and the second largest in Okinawa Prefecture after Okinawa Island itself. ... Taketomi (竹富町; -chō) is a town located in Yaeyama district, Okinawa, Japan. ... Yonaguni is a language spoken by around 1800 people on the island of Yonaguni, in Japan, just east of Taiwan. ...

Classification

Main article: Japanese language classification

The relationship of the Japonic (or Japanese-Ryukyuan) languages to other languages and language families is controversial. There are numerous hypotheses, none of which is generally accepted. The classification of the Japanese language is uncertain and disputed. ...

External links

• Ethnologue report for the Japanese language family