Amami languages

The Amami languages are a collection of dialect clusters spoken across the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. All dialects are members of the Ryukyuan languages, specifically its northern branch.

Amami languages
Ethnicity	Ryukyuan
Geographic distribution	Amami Islands, Japan
Linguistic classification	Japonic Ryukyuan Northern Ryukyuan Amami languages
Subdivisions	Amami Ōshima Southern Amami Ōshima Kikai? Tokunoshima Okinoerabu? Yoron?
Language codes
Glottolog	amam1245
ELP	Amami

Classification

There are many distinct clusters of the Amami languages, most of which have their own ISO 639-3 codes:^[1][2]

• Amami languages

  • Amami Ōshima
    • Northern Amami Ōshima
    • Southern Amami Ōshima
  • Kikai
  • Tokunoshima
  • Okinoerabu
  • Yoron

Scholars^{[according to whom?]} are divided on the specific subgrouping of these dialects. The Okinoerabu and Yoron clusters may be grouped within the Kunigami language.^[3]

References

1. "Did you know Amami-North Okinawan is endangered?". Endangered Languages. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
2. "ISO 639 Code Tables | ISO 639-3". iso639-3.sil.org. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
3. Heinrich, Patrick; Miyar, Shinsho; Shimoji, Michinori, eds. (2015). Handbook of the Ryukyuan Languages: History, Structure and Use. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. p. 375. ISBN 978-1-61451-161-8.