Introduction To The Okinawan Language:
Uchina Guchi

Japanese IS NOT the native language of Okinawa.

The Okinawan language of belongs to the Japanese-Ryukyuan language family which extends from northern Japan to Yonaguni ( located off the coat of Taiwan) in the southern Ryukyu (rope) island chain. Many linguists (such as the renowned Hattori Shiro) believes the Shuri (Okinawa) and Kyoto (Japan) dialects separated between the start of the sixth century and the middle of the twelfth century. The Ryukyuan language is classified as an independent language because of the uniqueness of its remote relationships in morphological, phonological, and lexical aspects.

Within the Ryukyuan language, the Okinawan language itself is comprised of many different dialects and sub-dialects from village to village. The Shuri dialect was standardized under the Ryukyuan kingdom central administration established by King Sho Shin (1477-1526). It was the official language used in conversation by the aristocratic class of Shuri castle. Most Okinawan songs and poems were composed in the Shuri dialect.

The Shuri dialect is characterized by complexity of honorific markers which differentiate class, sex, and age. A diversity of respect forms was strictly adhered to among the three social classes of ristocracy, gentry, and commoners; between male and female; and also between different age groups. The appropriate respect forms had to be used not only when two speakers were from the same class, same sex, and even to the same age when the hierarchical distinction only related to the month of birth. When two speakers were completely different status, conversational usage was extremely complex.

The phonological characteristics of the Shuri dialect as compared to standard Japanese are mainly the vowel changes of e to i and o to u. For example, the word for rain is pronounced ame in Japanese while it is pronounced ami in Shuri. In the same manner, the word for cloud is pronounced kumo in Japanese while it is pronounced kumu in Shuri. Some differences between Japanese and Shuri dialect also exist in consonants. Some of the common differences are as follows:

Differences Between Japanese
and
Uchina Guchi

Japan	Shuri	Japan	Shuri
k	chu	yuki (snow)	yuchi
chi	tsi	michi (road)	mitsi
mi	n	minato (port)	nnatu
ri	i	odori (dance)	udui
wa	a	kawa (river)	kaa

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Sample of Okinawan Words and Phrases

1 - One	tii chi
2 - Two	taa chi
3 - Three	mii chi
4 - Four	yuu chi
5 - Five	ichi chi
6 - Six	muu chi
7 - Seven	nana chi
8 - Eight	yaa chi
9 - Nine	kuku nuchi
10 - Ten	tuu
100 - One Hundred	hyaa ku
Good Morning	ukimi soo chii
Good day	hai sai
Or	chuu wuga nabira
Good evening	hai sai
Good night	uyukuimi soori
Good bye	guburii sabira
How do you do?	hajimita wuga nabira
How are you?	uganjuu yami seemi
Fine thank you.	uu ganjuu sooi biin
Thank you very much	nifee deebiru
I beg your pardon	chaa bira
Excuse me	guburii sabura
I'm sorry	guburii sabitan
That's all right	shiwaa neebi ran
Please hurry	isujimi sooree
Don't hurry please	yoonnaa shimi sooree
What's this?	kuree nuuyaibiiga
How much is it?	uree chassa yai biiga
Do you have anything cheaper?	naahin yassa shiga ami seemi
Hello	moshi moshi
This is Michael	michael yai biin
Just a minute please	ufee macchi kwimi sooree
I'll call back later	atukara kakiya biisa
Delicious	maa san
It's HOT!	achiisaiibin-do
Ouch!	agaa!!
Expression - Surprise, anger, "Oh my gawd!"	akisamiyoo!
Person who talks loudly, yelling	abiyaa
It's hot, isn't it?	achisan yaa tai
Okinawan doughnut	andagii
Mother	anmaa or ayaa
Pig's feet soup	ashitibichi
Literally " Are you healthy?"	chya gan jyuu?
Good afternoon	chyu uganabira
Person	chu
Good looking	chyuura kagi
Pardon me. May I come in? (Used when entering a home.)	chaabira sai.
How do you do?	chuu uganabira
People	chu (short sound)
Have you been well?	chaa ganjuu yaibiimi tai
Very(much)	deijii
Crazy person	furaagwa
Glutton	Gachiimaya
Mosquito	Gaajyan
Excuse me.	Guuburi sabida
Castle	Gusuku
Person	Guwa
dirty	Hagoosa
Hello. (everyday greeting)	Hai sai
I'm glad to meet you.	Hajimiti uganabira.
Nice weather we are having	Il kwaa chichi
Please come in.	Ii misooree
Intoxicated	Iichyaa
Small/short	Inchyaasa
money	jin
Good (very)	Jooto
Hair	Karajii
Come here.	kumankai kuuwa
Said before eating a meal.	Kuwachi sabida
It was very delicious/ may I be excused.	Kuwachi sabitan
Where are you going?	maa kai ga
Large big	magii
Tasty, delicious	maasan
Please come back again.	Mataa mensore
Welcome.	Mensooree.
Bring to me	Muchiku
Thank you.	Nifee deebiru.
Sleepy	Nibuii
Sleepy head	niibu yaa
Sweetheart (besides one's wife); girlfriend	ningurugwaa
Goodbye	njichabira
Life is a treasure.	Nuchi Du Takara
What are you doing?	Nuu sou ga?
Application	Oyoo (Japanese - bunkai)
Honorific Mr. Ms.	Sai
Teacher	Shinshi (Japanese - Sensei)
Hand	Ti
Okinawa	Uchina
The Okinawan language	Uchina guchi
Do you understand Okinawan?	Uchinaa-guchi wakai miseemi.
Yes, I understand a little.	Uu, ufee wakai biin.
People from Okinawa	Uchinanchu
Rascal	uumaku
Yes	Uun
You	Unjyu
You (polite)	unju
Please	Unige sabida
I don't understand	Wakaya bidan
I understand	Wakaya bitan
I, me, myself	Wan
Child	Waraba
I'm Sorry.	Wa sai bin
Japan	Yamato
Japanese people	Yamatonchu
Japanese language	Yamatoguchi
Not good looking	yanakaagii
Bad weather isn't it?	Yanakwaa chichi
Loud, noisy	Yagui
Bad child	Yana waraban
Rest awhile.	yukuimisooree
talkative	yuntaku

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Okinawan Proverbs

Ataishi turu atairu. - We get along well with those we can get along with well.

Achinee ya tankaa mankaa. - Business is a two-way street.

Aramun jooguu ya duu ganjuu. - One who eats plain food is healthy.

Ichariba choodee. - Once we meet and talk, we are brothers and sisters.

Uya yushi kwa yushi. - Parents and children teach one another.

Kaagee kaa ru ya ru. - Beauty is skin deep.

Kamuru ussaa mii nayun. - The more you eat, the more you gain.

Kuu sa kana sa. - Small things are lovable.

Kuchi ganga naa ya yakutatan. - A smooth talker is a good-for-nothing person.

Kutubaa. Jin chikee. - Spend words as efficiently as money.

Kutuba noo ushikumaran. - A word can't be recalled once spoken.

Shikinoo chui shiihii shiru kurasuru. - Let's live helping each other in this world.

Shinjichi nu ada nayumi. - Kindness will never be wasted in any way.

Jin too waraaran kwa tu ru waraariiru. - We can laugh happily with our children, but not with money.

Chu uyamee ru duu uyamee. - If you respect others, they will respect you.

Choo kukuru ru dee ichi. - The heart is the most essential human quality.

Tusui ya tatashina mun. Warabee shikashina mun. - The old should be Treated with due respect. Children should be treated with gentleness.

Tusui ya takara. - The old people are treasures to us.

Miitundaa duu tichi. - Man and wife are one flesh.

Nuchi nu sadamee wakaran. - Only God knows one's term of life.

Machushi garu ufu iyoo tuyuru. - One who waits patiently will catch a big fish.

Miinai chichi nai. - We learn by watching and listening.

Mii ya tin niru aru. - Our fates are as registered by heaven.

Munoo yuu iyuru mun. - Speak well of others.

Yaasa ru maasaru. - Food is delicious when one is hungry.

Duu nu duu ya duu shiru shiyuru. - You know your body best.

Choo kani ru deeichi. - Common sense is essential.

Yii kutoo isugi. - Do good things quickly.

Chira kaagi yaka chimu gukuru. - Kind hearts are better than fair faces.

Yuu ya shititin mii ya shitinna. - Even if you hide yourself from the world, don't lose sight of your real nature.

Nmarijima nu kutuba wasshii nee kuni n wasshiin. - Forgetting your native tongue means forgetting your native country.

Ashibi nu chura saa ninju nu sunawai. - The more the merrier.

Acha nu neen chi ami. - Tomorrow is a new day.

Yikiga nu kutubaa shuumun gaai. - A man's word is his honor.

Mookiraa kwee michi shiri. - Once you have made a fortune, know how to spend it.

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Notes on Pronunciation

There are five vowels:

a - as in "father"

e - as in "pet"

i - as in "each"

o - as in "so"

u - as in "blue"

The double vowels are pronounced with the longer vowel sound. For example: dee is pronounced more like "day" as opposed to "dee" (long "e" sound).

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REFERENCES

Higa, E. (1976). Okinawan Classical Music: Analysis of Vocal Performance, Master's Thesis,

University of Hawaii (excerpt available on-line at http://www.okinawa.com/language.html)

Shimabukuro, Z. ( Unknown). The Okinawan Mind in Proverbs, Publisher Unknown, (excerpts

available on-line at http://www.okinawa.com/proverbs.html)

Unknown, (2000). Okinawa FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions and Glossary, (available

on-line at http://www.okinawa.com/faq.html)

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