Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Macro Yaeyama languages

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Subdivisions:
  
Yaeyama Yonaguni

Glottolog:
  
macr1267

Geographic distribution:
  
Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa Prefecture

Linguistic classification:
  
Japonic Ryukyuan Southern Ryukyuan Macro-Yaeyama

Macro-Yaeyama is one of the two branches of the Southern Ryukyuan languages, comprising the Yaeyama and Yonaguni languages. It is defined by the development of 'know' as a potential auxiliary, the semantic extension of 'nephew' to being gender-neutral, and unique forms of the words exhibited by the table below.

Although Yonaguni has historically been classified as either a primary branch of Ryukyuan or of the Southern Ryukyuan languages, its close relationship with Yaeyama is clear.

References

Macro-Yaeyama languages Wikipedia