okinawan: help me speak it.
September 13, 2010 11:19 AM Subscribe
okinawa + language + google-fu = FAIL.
i'm moving to okinawa and have desperately trying to find resources about the language - not japanese, but okinawan.
so far i've found pages that list snippets or a few phrases, but nothing that will help me string together more than "hello" and "thank you".
book searches have also failed.
i don't need to be fluent by the time i leave, but i would like to learn grammar and pronunciation basics and have the ability to someone get around the smaller towns on the island where they may not cater to americans as much.
any ideas on where to start? something audio would be perfect, because my guesses at pronunciation have just been horrid to this point.
thanks in advance!
i'm moving to okinawa and have desperately trying to find resources about the language - not japanese, but okinawan.
so far i've found pages that list snippets or a few phrases, but nothing that will help me string together more than "hello" and "thank you".
book searches have also failed.
i don't need to be fluent by the time i leave, but i would like to learn grammar and pronunciation basics and have the ability to someone get around the smaller towns on the island where they may not cater to americans as much.
any ideas on where to start? something audio would be perfect, because my guesses at pronunciation have just been horrid to this point.
thanks in advance!
If you trust Wikipedia, it seems Japanese would be more useful amongst the general populace in Okinawa. Okinawa.com also says "Today, the Okinawan language is near extinction."
Found a couple of guides with audio/video, linked from here:
Video lessons series.
Audio samples.
Looks like there's a Facebook group on Okinawan. Maybe somebody there could help further?
posted by kmz at 11:31 AM on September 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Found a couple of guides with audio/video, linked from here:
Video lessons series.
Audio samples.
Looks like there's a Facebook group on Okinawan. Maybe somebody there could help further?
posted by kmz at 11:31 AM on September 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Good for you! Especially from afar, you might have a difficult task ahead. Why? There are some things I learned from Okinawans that maybe you already have heard, but need to hear again:
- island to island, and even within the same island, words vary. Sometimes a little bit, sometimes a lot. This is not a standardized, single language.
- there is a sort of "lost generation" that grew up after the US relinquished Okinawa to the Japanese, in a period where the use of the language was forbidden in schools and even in public. Many of these people never learned the language or some other key cultural things (sanshin, for example). There are now Okinawan culture classes in schools, but it's hard to undo that kind of damage.
- in relatively.. accessible places, Okinawan language isn't part of daily life. There are words and phrases - as you have found - that come up a lot, but everyone knows and uses standard Japanese. That said, knowing those phrases gets you special nice treatment!
As far as pronunciation, if you can focus on the basic pronunciation rules of Japanese, it will help a lot. Most of the sounds are similar (though there are some combinations that don't turn up much in standard JP, like the ふぇ sound in thank you (にふぇーでーびる)), and the words when written are written out in kana anyway.
In other words, focus on learning Japanese, take classes and quiz old people when you get there.
Are you an American moving there to be on the bases? I really really want to thank you for learning about and respecting the people you'll be moving in around. I was thoroughly embarrassed by the behavior of other Americans I saw there.
(I stayed with an Okinawan family for a while in a smallish town on Hontou far from the bases.)
Other thoughts,
1) check eric.ed.gov. It is my favorite place for random obscure language materials, all free! Because of the military presence, I wouldn't be surprised if they have public domain works on the languages there.
2) Add Ryuukuu and uchinaguchi (ウチナーグチ（沖縄口)) to your searches.
posted by whatzit at 11:37 AM on September 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
- island to island, and even within the same island, words vary. Sometimes a little bit, sometimes a lot. This is not a standardized, single language.
- there is a sort of "lost generation" that grew up after the US relinquished Okinawa to the Japanese, in a period where the use of the language was forbidden in schools and even in public. Many of these people never learned the language or some other key cultural things (sanshin, for example). There are now Okinawan culture classes in schools, but it's hard to undo that kind of damage.
- in relatively.. accessible places, Okinawan language isn't part of daily life. There are words and phrases - as you have found - that come up a lot, but everyone knows and uses standard Japanese. That said, knowing those phrases gets you special nice treatment!
As far as pronunciation, if you can focus on the basic pronunciation rules of Japanese, it will help a lot. Most of the sounds are similar (though there are some combinations that don't turn up much in standard JP, like the ふぇ sound in thank you (にふぇーでーびる)), and the words when written are written out in kana anyway.
In other words, focus on learning Japanese, take classes and quiz old people when you get there.
Are you an American moving there to be on the bases? I really really want to thank you for learning about and respecting the people you'll be moving in around. I was thoroughly embarrassed by the behavior of other Americans I saw there.
(I stayed with an Okinawan family for a while in a smallish town on Hontou far from the bases.)
Other thoughts,
1) check eric.ed.gov. It is my favorite place for random obscure language materials, all free! Because of the military presence, I wouldn't be surprised if they have public domain works on the languages there.
2) Add Ryuukuu and uchinaguchi (ウチナーグチ（沖縄口)) to your searches.
posted by whatzit at 11:37 AM on September 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
The HUOA offer Okinawan language classes out here in Hawaii -- you might find useful info on their page or by contacting them... In fact, at the Okinawan festival last weekend they had a language booth highlighting the differences between Okinawan and Japanese, etc. Good luck!
posted by lazywhinerkid at 3:05 PM on September 13, 2010
posted by lazywhinerkid at 3:05 PM on September 13, 2010
My mum is Okinawan. She only speaks Japanese (well, and English). If you learn Japanese you'll be just fine. Okinawa is a beautiful place. Enjoy!
posted by madokachan at 5:07 PM on September 13, 2010
posted by madokachan at 5:07 PM on September 13, 2010
I too agree that learning the local language is awesome (even though it's true that regular old Japanese will have much more practical utility), but learning Japanese as well will help you a lot. The reason is that most of the "official" learning materials (books, classes, etc.) that will teach you what you want to know about Okinawan are in Japanese.
Also, another hint: Once you get to Okinawa, try to find some old and/or traditional musicians to hang out with. They are much more likely than the average Okinawan to speak the language (at least enough to sing in it) and to know people who do.
posted by No-sword at 4:24 AM on September 22, 2010
Also, another hint: Once you get to Okinawa, try to find some old and/or traditional musicians to hang out with. They are much more likely than the average Okinawan to speak the language (at least enough to sing in it) and to know people who do.
posted by No-sword at 4:24 AM on September 22, 2010
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There's also this.
posted by alms at 11:28 AM on September 13, 2010