Ryukyuan Dialect
 

I was wondering what impressions native speakers of Japanese have about the Ryukyuan dialect. What little I know is that in its thickest it sounds like a completely different language but that these days it's more like an accent. Specifically, I was hoping to find what the stereotypes might be. For instance, is it seen as being a rustic dialect? Or perhaps even uncultured? It would be especially helpful if someone could make a comparison with a dialect with similar characteristics in English. For instance, the Kansai accent is sometimes compared to a Brooklyn accent in English.

Thanks!

As a main islander, I have to say that it sounds like a different language all together. I've heard two natives talk to each other and I basically wasn't able to understand a word, except the few obvious proper nouns such as "Tokyo" or "Fukuoka", which shouldn't count.

I think it's important to treat the Ryukyu dialect and Ryukyu accent differently. While I don't understand the dialect at all, I pretty much understand the "standard Japanese" spoken by a Ryukyuan with a thick Ryukyu accent. When I hear the latter, I notice that many words are pronounced differently but it's still understandable.

As for your last question, it doesn't seem very scholarly to compare a Japanese dialect with an English one. I happen to have spent quite some time both in Kansai and Brooklyn in the past, but I fail to observe any analogy between the two. I seriously doubt that an Osakan feels particularly at home when watching a Woody Allen film.

Nagoyankee,

I think the Kansai-Brooklyn comparison is not a true comparison, but part of an analogy that is typically thought of as something like

Hyojungo:Standard American English::Kansaiben:Brooklyn accent

American students of Japanese (once they're a year or so into their studies) tend to have the image that Tokyo dialect is "boring" and Kansai is exciting, unique, etc.

Plus, American students pick up on the fact that Kansaiben can sound brash to Tokyoites, while Tokyo dialect can sound standoffish and cold to Kansai people. The same can almost be said of the Brooklyn accent, as the image of people in New York City by others in the US (especially people in the south) is that they are energetic, in-your-face, powerful, and talk fast.

As a comparison, Kansai-Brooklyn is bad. But as a half-analogy, I think it's rather good.

i'm afraid this posting has very little ot do with ryukyuan dialect or accent so i am a wee bit off-topic but it might be interesting still especially on the matter kansai-ben and brooklyn accent.

in the movie shrek where mike meyers is supposed to speak with a scottish accent, in the japanese version this is done by Masatoshi Hamada with a strong kansai accent.

I'm really happy to find such knowledgeable people. I suppose what I'm really getting at is what a main islander's impression of a Ryukyuan is when he speaks. Essentially I'm trying to find out if there are any prejudices or stereotypes that stem from this accent, negative, positive or even neutral. Also, particular mannerisms or demeanor would be helpful.

I'm Japanese and lived in Tokyo most of my life until I left for college so I guess I qualify to answer your question. To me, Okinawa/Ryukyu language is more of a foreign language than a dialect. There may have been prejudices in the past but during the past decade, being from Okinawa has become quite cool so the Okinawan/Ryukyu dialect is now seen in a more positive light. There are tons of singers that are from Okinawa and they sometimes sing in their language, making it more familiar. To a person from Tokyo, someone speaking a Kumamoto, Aomori, Akita, Nagasaki, etc dialect sounds more "country-bumpkin-esque" than someone speaking Okinawan.

I don't really have an insight into the mannerisms or demeanor of an Okinawan.

Hi.
I'm Japanese.
Ryukyuan dialect is a foreign language for me.
Their culture is cool and I love their music.
This is one of my favorite songs but I don’t understand the Ryukyuan lyrics.

YuriTokoro, thanks for the video. It was like a foreign language to me! I understood "haisai ojisan" and very little else.

Hi,KyleGoetz.
Thank you for listening to the song.
Yes, it's foreign language to me too.
I thought both Japanese people and people who live in other countries would enjoy the song. Okinawa music is cool!
However, to be honest, I can’t say the difference between Okinawa cultures and Amami cultures.(Amami is located north of Okinawa.):D

I wish I was fluent in Japanese when I went to Okinawa for foreign exchange so I could really appreciate the difference of accents... Even to this day when I talk to my friend in Yokohama and my friends back in Naha, I don't hear a great difference in accent between the two like I do for English and American accents. I can notice a small difference in the two but I could never reproduce it!