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Okinawan scripts
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<h2 id="systems">Systems</h2> <h3>Conventional usages</h3> <p>The modern conventional <i>ad hoc</i> spellings found in Okinawa. </p> <h3>Council system</h3> <p>The system devised by the Council for the Dissemination of Okinawan Dialect (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070307035533/http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/~knaka/hogen/index.html">沖縄方言普及協議会</a>). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20011031162127/http://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/spe/kotoba20010829.html">[1]</a> </p> <h3>University of the Ryukyus system</h3> <p>This system was devised by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190512211946/http://ryukyu-lang.lib.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/srnh/sign.html">Okinawa Center of Language Study</a>, a section of <a href="/facts/University_of_the_Ryukyus/7lWm14Cw">University of the Ryukyus</a>. Unlike others, this method is intended purely as a phonetic guidance, and basically only uses <a href="/facts/Katakana/mmdWMTNr">katakana</a>. For the sake of an easier comparison, corresponding hiragana are used in this article. </p> <h3>New Okinawan letters</h3> <p>新沖縄文字 (<i>Shin Okinawa-moji</i>), devised by Yoshiaki Funazu (船津好明, <i>Funazu Yoshiaki</i>), in his textbook <i>Utsukushii Okinawa no Hōgen</i> (美しい沖縄の方言; "The beautiful Okinawan Dialect"; <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 4-905784-19-0). The rule applies to hiragana only. Katakana is used as in Japanese; just like in the conventional usage of Okinawan. </p> <h2 id="basic-syllables-and-kai-yon-palatalized-syllables">Basic syllables and kai-yōon (palatalized syllables)</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th></th><th></th><th>i</th><th>u</th><th>e</th><th>o</th><th>ya</th><th>yu</th><th>yo</th></tr><tr><td>(Initial) 1</td><td></td><td>[i] [ji]</td><td>[u] [wu]</td><td>[e] [je]</td><td>[o] [wo]</td><td rowspan="2">[ja]</td><td rowspan="2">[ju]</td><td rowspan="2">[jo]</td></tr><tr><td>(Elsewhere)</td><td></td><td colspan="4">(Not used) 2</td></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td></td><td>い いぃ</td><td>う うぅ をぅ</td><td>え いぇ</td><td>お を うぉ</td><td rowspan="4">や</td><td rowspan="4">ゆ</td><td rowspan="4">よ</td></tr><tr><td>Council</td><td></td><td>ゆぃ</td><td rowspan="2">をぅ</td><td>ゆぇ</td><td rowspan="3">を</td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td></td><td>ゐ</td><td>え</td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td>い゙</td><td></td><td>え゙</td></tr><tr><th>'</th><th>'a a</th><th>'i i</th><th>'u u</th><th>'e e</th><th>'o o</th><th>'ya</th><th>'yu</th><th>'yo</th></tr><tr><td>(Initial) 1</td><td>[ʔa]</td><td>[ʔi]</td><td>[ʔu]</td><td>[ʔe]</td><td>[ʔo]</td><td rowspan="2">[ʔja]</td><td rowspan="2">[ʔju]</td><td rowspan="2">[ʔjo]</td></tr><tr><td>(Elsewhere)</td><td>[a]</td><td>[i] [ji]</td><td>[u] [wu]</td><td>[e] [je]</td><td>[o] [wo]</td></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td rowspan="4">あ</td><td rowspan="4">い</td><td rowspan="4">う</td><td>え いぇ</td><td>お うぉ</td><td>や</td><td>ゆ</td><td>よ</td></tr><tr><td>Council</td><td>え</td><td rowspan="3">お</td><td>っや</td><td>っゆ</td><td>っよ</td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>いぇ</td><td>いゃ</td><td>いゅ</td><td>いょ</td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td>え</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>k</th><th>ka</th><th>ki</th><th>ku</th><th>ke</th><th>ko</th><th>kya</th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ka]</td><td>[ki]</td><td>[ku]</td><td>[ke]</td><td>[ko]</td><td>[kja]</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>か</td><td>き</td><td>く</td><td>け</td><td>こ</td><td>きゃ</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>g</th><th>ga</th><th>gi</th><th>gu</th><th>ge</th><th>go</th><th>gya</th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ɡa]</td><td>[ɡi]</td><td>[ɡu]</td><td>[ɡe]</td><td>[ɡo]</td><td>[ɡja]</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>が</td><td>ぎ</td><td>ぐ</td><td>げ</td><td>ご</td><td>ぎゃ</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>s</th><th>sa</th><th>si<p>(s-i)</p></th><th>su</th><th>(sye)<p>se</p></th><th>so</th><th>sya</th><th>syu</th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[sa]</td><td>[ʃi]</td><td>[su]</td><td>[ʃe]</td><td>[so]</td><td>[ʃa]</td><td>[ʃu]</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Others</td><td rowspan="2">さ</td><td>し</td><td rowspan="2">す</td><td>しぇ</td><td rowspan="2">そ</td><td rowspan="2">しゃ</td><td rowspan="2">しゅ</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>し すぃ</td><td>しぇ せ</td><td></td></tr><tr><th>t</th><th>ta</th><th>ti</th><th>tu</th><th>te</th><th>to</th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ta]</td><td>[ti]</td><td>[tu]</td><td>[te]</td><td>[to]</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Others</td><td rowspan="2">た</td><td>てぃ</td><td>とぅ</td><td rowspan="2">て</td><td rowspan="2">と</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>d</th><th>da</th><th>di</th><th>du</th><th>de</th><th>do</th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[da]</td><td>[di]</td><td>[du]</td><td>[de]</td><td>[do]</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Others</td><td rowspan="2">だ</td><td>でぃ</td><td>どぅ</td><td rowspan="2">で</td><td rowspan="2">ど</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>ts</th><th></th><th>tsi</th><th>tsu</th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>[tsi] [tʂi]</td><td>[tsu]</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td></td><td>つぃ</td><td>つ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>z</th><th>za</th><th>zi<p>(dzi)</p></th><th>zu<p>(dzu)</p></th><th>ze</th><th>zo</th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[dza]</td><td>[dzi] [dʐi]</td><td>[dzu]</td><td>[dze]</td><td>[dzo]</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Others</td><td rowspan="2">ざ</td><td>じ</td><td>ず</td><td rowspan="2">ぜ</td><td rowspan="2">ぞ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>づぃ</td><td>ず づ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>ty c</th><th>tya ca</th><th>tyi ci</th><th>tyu cu</th><th>tye ce</th><th>tyo co</th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[tʃa]</td><td>[tʃi]</td><td>[tʃu]</td><td>[tʃe]</td><td>[tʃo]</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>ちゃ</td><td>ち</td><td>ちゅ</td><td>ちぇ</td><td>ちょ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>zy<p>dy</p></th><th>zya<p>dya</p></th><th>zyi<p>dyi</p></th><th>zyu<p>dyu</p></th><th>zye<p>dye</p></th><th>zyo<p>dyo</p></th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[dʒa]</td><td>[dʒi]</td><td>[dʒu]</td><td>[dʒe]</td><td>[dʒo]</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Others</td><td>じゃ</td><td>じ</td><td>じゅ</td><td>じぇ</td><td>じょ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>じゃ ぢゃ</td><td>じ ぢ</td><td>じゅ ぢゅ</td><td>じぇ ぢぇ</td><td>じょ ぢょ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>n</th><th>na</th><th>ni</th><th>nu</th><th>ne</th><th>no</th><th>nya</th><th>nyu</th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[na]</td><td>[ɲi]</td><td>[nu]</td><td>[ne]</td><td>[no]</td><td>[ɲa]</td><td>[ɲu]</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>な</td><td>に</td><td>ぬ</td><td>ね</td><td>の</td><td>にゃ</td><td>にゅ</td><td></td></tr><tr><th>h</th><th>ha</th><th>hi</th><th>hu<p>hwu</p></th><th>he</th><th>ho</th><th>hya</th><th>hyu</th><th>hyo</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ha]</td><td>[çi]</td><td>[ɸu]</td><td>[çe]</td><td>[ho]</td><td>[ça]</td><td>[çu]</td><td>[ço]</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>は</td><td>ひ</td><td>ふ</td><td>へ</td><td>ほ</td><td>ひゃ</td><td>ひゅ</td><td>ひょ</td></tr><tr><th>b</th><th>ba</th><th>bi</th><th>bu</th><th>be</th><th>bo</th><th>bya</th><th>byu</th><th>byo</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ba]</td><td>[bi]</td><td>[bu]</td><td>[be]</td><td>[bo]</td><td>[bja]</td><td>[bju]</td><td>[bjo]</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>ば</td><td>び</td><td>ぶ</td><td>べ</td><td>ぼ</td><td>びゃ</td><td>びゅ</td><td>びょ</td></tr><tr><th>p</th><th>pa</th><th>pi</th><th>pu</th><th>pe</th><th>po</th><th>pya</th><th>pyu</th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[pa]</td><td>[pi]</td><td>[pu]</td><td>[pe]</td><td>[po]</td><td>[pja]</td><td>[pju]</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>ぱ</td><td>ぴ</td><td>ぷ</td><td>ぺ</td><td>ぽ</td><td>ぴゃ</td><td>ぴゅ</td><td></td></tr><tr><th>m</th><th>ma</th><th>mi</th><th>mu</th><th>me</th><th>mo</th><th>mya</th><th>myu</th><th>myo</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ma]</td><td>[mi]</td><td>[mu]</td><td>[me]</td><td>[mo]</td><td>[mja]</td><td>[mju]</td><td>[mjo]</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>ま</td><td>み</td><td>む</td><td>め</td><td>も</td><td>みゃ</td><td>みゅ</td><td>みょ</td></tr><tr><th>r</th><th>ra</th><th>ri</th><th>ru</th><th>re</th><th>ro</th><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ɾa]</td><td>[ɾi]</td><td>[ɾu]</td><td>[ɾe]</td><td>[ɾo]</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>ら</td><td>り</td><td>る</td><td>れ</td><td>ろ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> 1: At the beginning of a word. 2: University of the Ryukyus system is an exception, always using ゐ, をぅ, え, を (ヰ, ヲゥ, エ, ヲ) for [i], [u], [e], [o], and い, う, いぇ, お (イ, ウ, イェ, オ) for [ʔi], [ʔu], [ʔe], [ʔo], respectively. <h2 id="g-yon-labialised-syllables">Gō-yōon (labialised syllables)</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th></th><th>wa</th><th>wi</th><th>we</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ɰa]</td><td>[ɰi]</td><td>[ɰe]</td></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td rowspan="4">わ</td><td rowspan="2">うぃ</td><td rowspan="2">うぇ</td></tr><tr><td>Council</td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>ゑぃ</td><td rowspan="2">ゑ</td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td>ゐ</td></tr><tr><th>'</th><th>'wa</th><th>'wi</th><th>'we</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ʔɰa]</td><td>[ʔɰi]</td><td>[ʔɰe]</td></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td>わ</td><td>うぃ</td><td>うぇ</td></tr><tr><td>Council</td><td>っわ</td><td>っうぃ</td><td>っうぇ</td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>うゎ</td><td>うゐ</td><td>うぇ</td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>k</th><th>kwaqua</th><th>kwiqui</th><th>kweque</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[kʷa]</td><td>[kʷi]</td><td>[kʷe]</td></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td>くぁ くゎ</td><td rowspan="2">くぃ</td><td rowspan="3">くぇ</td></tr><tr><td>Council</td><td rowspan="2">くゎ</td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>くゐ</td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>g</th><th>gwa</th><th>gwi</th><th>gwe</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ɡʷa]</td><td>[ɡʷi]</td><td>[ɡʷe]</td></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td>ぐぁ ぐゎ</td><td rowspan="2">ぐぃ</td><td rowspan="3">ぐぇ</td></tr><tr><td>Council</td><td rowspan="2">ぐゎ</td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>ぐゐ</td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>h</th><th>fa hwa</th><th>fi hwi</th><th>fe hwe</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>[ɸa]</td><td>[ɸi]</td><td>[ɸe]</td></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td rowspan="2">ふぁ</td><td rowspan="3">ふぃ</td><td rowspan="3">ふぇ</td></tr><tr><td>Council</td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td>ふゎ</td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="others">Others</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th></th><th>n 3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th></tr><tr><td></td><td>ん</td><td>っ</td><td>ー</td></tr><tr><th>'</th><th>'n</th><th></th><th></th></tr><tr><td>Conventional</td><td>ん</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Council</td><td rowspan="2">っん</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ryukyu Univ.</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>New Okinawan</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> 3: <a href="/facts/N_(kana)/WgnBc3M5">Hatsuon</a> (moraic <i>n</i>) 4: <a href="/facts/Sokuon/fhEEHQAf">Sokuon</a> (<a href="/facts/Consonant_length/SWW77Fxw">geminated consonants</a>) 5: <a href="/facts/Ch%25C5%258Don/IfPsdh8e">Chōon</a> (<a href="/facts/Vowel_length/BhBqJJu3">longer vowels</a>): In conventional usages, longer vowels are sometimes spelled like in mainland Japanese as well; "ou" (おう) for <i>ō</i>, doubled kana for others. (e.g. うう for <i>ū</i>.) <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.pref.okinawa.lg.jp/site/bunka-sports/bunka/shinko/documents/02_shimakutubahyouki.pdf">沖縄県における「しまくとぅば」の表記について</a> (Trans.: <i>About the notation of "Shimakutuba" in Okinawa Prefecture</i>), March 2020. Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Okinawa Prefecture.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Okinawan, Central". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2022-02-24. <a href="https://www.ethnologue.com/language/ryu" target="_blank">https://www.ethnologue.com/language/ryu</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>