My husband is in the US air force and we just got orders to Okinawa , where we will be for 4 years (yay!). I have been studying Nihongo for a few weeks now, and just discovered online that Okinawa has its own language. Agh! Will the people there understand Japanese? I want to be able to use it, and I would rather not learn Okinawan just because it seems to be of limited use elsewhere. Any advice? Thanks!
Japanese in Okinawa?
- Thread starter RRD
- Start date
Glenn
一切皆苦
- 8 Jan 2004
- 7,842
- 200
They understand Standard Japanese, as does the entire country, due to its wide use on television and in the various new media, so you'll have no problem being understood. However, should they decide to speak their local dialect, you may have problems understanding them. In such a case, you could always ask them to repeat themselves in the standard language. I'd like to give you more information on the Okinawan dialect, but I don't have any myself. Anyway, I think it'll be easier for you to pick it up from the locals while you're living there than to read an explanation of it (although it may be helpful). Best of luck to you!
[Edit] I did some looking:
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/ethno/Japa.html
What Is the Layout of the Okinawa Islands?
:: mahae plus :: Okinawa Travel Information
Okinawa Island Hogen, a vestige of old Japanese.
The standard Okinawa Island Hogen (Okinawa-guchi or Uchina-guchi) is the Shuri-Naha dialect. The main difference between the Okinawa and mainland Japanese dialects is the number of vowels. Japanese dialects have five vowels - a, i, u, e, and o. The main island dialect in Okinawa absorbs the "e" into the "i" and the "o" into the "u"; thus, three vowels. For example, Ame (ah-may) in Japanese becomes Ami (ah-mee), both meaning "rain," and Kokoro (spirit, mind, heart) becomes Kukuru.
It is believed that the Okinawa dialect branched off from Japanese between the 3rd and 5th or 6th centuries. The "pa" sound of old Japanese had become "fa" by the Tokugawa Era and then morphed into the present-day "ha." But in Okinawa, all three sounds are still heard in different places. For example, for Hana (flower), you will hear Pana, Fana, or Hana, depending on who you are speaking with. The original form of the Okinawan greeting "Cha-bira" (more or less "Hello, is anyone home?") was the "Kihabera" of the Heian Period in Japan. And the original response, "Irimeshi-oware", has changed to "Imiso-re" (please come in).
Thus the phonemes, grammar and vocabulary of Uchina-guchi, while being somewhat influenced by the Japanese of different eras, followed their own individual path of development. After the Ryukyu Kingdom was abolished and Okinawa Prefecture created in 1879, Japanese authorities set out to enforce the teaching and learning of standard Japanese. Today the number of younger people who can understand Hogen but not speak it, and even the number who can neither understand nor speak it, are growing.
However, its influence on intonation, accent and vocabulary lingers. The wording and way of speaking that results is called "Uchina-Yamato guchi", or Japanese tinged with Hogen. However, the old dialect has not been forgotten. Some radio stations in the prefecture broadcast news in Hogen and there are storytelling sessions and speech contests in the schools.
Most of them give a synopsis of usage and intelligibility with Japanese; the last one give some examples of grammar differences. Hope that helps!
[Edit] I did some looking:
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/ethno/Japa.html
What Is the Layout of the Okinawa Islands?
:: mahae plus :: Okinawa Travel Information
Okinawa Island Hogen, a vestige of old Japanese.
The standard Okinawa Island Hogen (Okinawa-guchi or Uchina-guchi) is the Shuri-Naha dialect. The main difference between the Okinawa and mainland Japanese dialects is the number of vowels. Japanese dialects have five vowels - a, i, u, e, and o. The main island dialect in Okinawa absorbs the "e" into the "i" and the "o" into the "u"; thus, three vowels. For example, Ame (ah-may) in Japanese becomes Ami (ah-mee), both meaning "rain," and Kokoro (spirit, mind, heart) becomes Kukuru.
It is believed that the Okinawa dialect branched off from Japanese between the 3rd and 5th or 6th centuries. The "pa" sound of old Japanese had become "fa" by the Tokugawa Era and then morphed into the present-day "ha." But in Okinawa, all three sounds are still heard in different places. For example, for Hana (flower), you will hear Pana, Fana, or Hana, depending on who you are speaking with. The original form of the Okinawan greeting "Cha-bira" (more or less "Hello, is anyone home?") was the "Kihabera" of the Heian Period in Japan. And the original response, "Irimeshi-oware", has changed to "Imiso-re" (please come in).
Thus the phonemes, grammar and vocabulary of Uchina-guchi, while being somewhat influenced by the Japanese of different eras, followed their own individual path of development. After the Ryukyu Kingdom was abolished and Okinawa Prefecture created in 1879, Japanese authorities set out to enforce the teaching and learning of standard Japanese. Today the number of younger people who can understand Hogen but not speak it, and even the number who can neither understand nor speak it, are growing.
However, its influence on intonation, accent and vocabulary lingers. The wording and way of speaking that results is called "Uchina-Yamato guchi", or Japanese tinged with Hogen. However, the old dialect has not been forgotten. Some radio stations in the prefecture broadcast news in Hogen and there are storytelling sessions and speech contests in the schools.
Most of them give a synopsis of usage and intelligibility with Japanese; the last one give some examples of grammar differences. Hope that helps!
DoctorP
先輩
- 3 Jun 2004
- 2,193
- 93
They will understand you for the most part. There have been several times that I have seen other Japanese tourists that have had problems conversing with the Okinawans, but usually you can get your point across. My kids actually learn many words in school that are not normal for Japanese speakers. It drives my wife crazy, but there isn't much that can be done about it. Hogan (the Okinawan dialect) isn't taught anywhere. The only way that you would learn it is to find an Okinawan friend who is willing to teach you. It is mostly used by the elders, but occasionally you will find someone who speaks it. I wouldn't worry too much about it though...most of the people that I know really have never experienced too much trouble.
MeAndroo
先輩
- 29 Jul 2004
- 767
- 16
It was actually quite a trek to find someone who KNEW it when I was there...at least more than the standard mensoore and haisai. I had hoped to learn a bit of it, but found it harder than I thought. Incidentally, I found Okinawans understood a greater amount of English than other Japanese, especially those near the military bases.
studyonline
後輩
- 2 Jul 2005
- 84
- 2
That is generally true. Okinawans simply have more chances to meet/talk to Americans who live in the base or near the base. But most Okinawans do not really understand/speak English that well.
My mom told me that she learned English by making friends, visiting them in the base.
Okinawa can be the best place to learn Japanese. (not Japanese history) I am sure anyone from the U.S. would feel more comfortable and find many similarities. If you are espeically love summer and a nice beach, you should visit there
My mom told me that she learned English by making friends, visiting them in the base.
Okinawa can be the best place to learn Japanese. (not Japanese history) I am sure anyone from the U.S. would feel more comfortable and find many similarities. If you are espeically love summer and a nice beach, you should visit there
