Okinawan Studies: Languages (Uchinaaguchi/Ryukyuan)

Ryukyuan (Okinawan) Dictionaries

• Okinawago Jiten : Naha hogen o chushin ni/ 沖縄語辞典 : 那覇方言を中心に
• Okinawan-English wordbook : a short lexicon of the Okinawan language with English definitions and Japanese cognates  (ENG version)
• Okinawa Kogo Daijiten / 沖縄古語大辞典
• Ryukyugo Jiten : 那覇・首里 を 中心 と する 沖縄 広域語 準拠 / 琉球語辞典
• Zusetsu Ryukyugo Jiten / 図說琉球語辞典

Dialect Dictionaries / 方言辞典 (including Okinawan dialects)

• Hyojungo Biki Nihon Hogen Jiten / 標準語引き日本方言辞典
• Gendai Nihongo Hogen Daijiten / 現代日本語方言大辞典
• Nihon Hogen Daijiten / 日本方言大辞典
• Hogen Zokugo Gogen Jiten / 方言俗語語源辞典
• Ishigaki Hogen Jiten / 石垣方言辞典
• Minamiryukyu Miyakogo Tarama Hōgen Jiten / 南琉球宮古語多良間方言辞典 http://doi.org/10.15084/00003108 Updated: 9 Feb 2021

Accent (Pronunciation) Dictionaries / アクセント (発音) 辞典

• Nihongo Hatsuon Akusento Jiten / 日本語発音アクセント辞典
• Zenkoku Akusento Jiten / 全国アクセント辞典

• Jissen Uchinaaguchi Kyohon / 実践うちなあぐち教本

• Okinawago no Nyumon : Tanoshii Uchinaguchi / 沖縄語の入門 : たのしいウチナーグチ

• Uchinaguchi Koza: Shuri Kotoba no Shikumi / うちなーぐち講座 : 首里ことばのしくみ

• Ryukyuan Language Database / 琉球語音声データベース 
  This database is developed by the University of the Ryukyus and contains Amami and Miyako dialects.

Update: As of September 3, 2020, this database is no longer available. The University of Ryukyus Library plans to renew the database sometime in October 2020. 

Last updated: September 2020

• Koe ni dashite yondemitai Okinawa no kotoba / 声に出して呼んでみたい沖縄のことば  (JPN version)
  This database is provided by theRyukyu Cultural Archives / 琉球文化アーカイブ  (ENG and JPN versions)

• Hatoma Dialect Sound and Vocabulary Database from the National Institute for Japanese and Japanese Linguistics (NINJAL) [Feb 25, 2021]
• うちなーぐち活用辞典 / Uchināguchi Usage Dictionary (PDF) by the National National Institute for Japanese and Japanese Linguistics (NINJAL) (March 29, 2021)

In 2006 Okinawa Prefectural Government proclaimed September 18 as "Island languages Day" (Shimakutuba no hi / しまくとぅばの日). 

Okinawa Prefectural Government has a list of websites that promotes the use of Uchinaaguchi or Shimakutuba, Okinawan languages.

http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/site/bunka-sports/bunka/documents/shimajyoho.html

https://shimakotoba-navi.jp/

Research published by the Agency of Cultural Affairs (文化庁) in Japan 

• Endangered languages and dialects in Japan / 消滅の危機にある方言・言語 (in Japanese only)

Research by NINJL

• Report on the endangered languages and dialects in Japan by National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (NINJAL) February 2011 / 危機的な状況にある言語・方言の実態に関する調査研究事業報告書 平成23年2月 (in PDF ; in Japanese only)

Articles by Researchers

• Davis, Christopher. (March 2014). "Yaeyama Miyara dialetcts in Okinawa Prefecture" in The Report on the endangered languages and dialects [in Japan] / クリストファー・デイビス、「沖縄県宮良方言」、文化庁委託事業「危機的な状況にある言語・方言の実態に関する調査研究」報告書（2014 年 3 月）所収。 (in PDF ; in Japanese only)
• Karimata, Shigehisa. (March 2003). "Problems in the study of grammatical aspects of Ryukyuan dialects as endangered languages" Nihon Toyo Bunka Ronshu, (10): 57-77. /  狩俣繁久、「危機言語としての琉球語の文法研究の課題」、『日本東洋文化論集』 、第10号、57-77頁.  (in PDF ; in Japanese only)

Aloha Uchinaaguchi Channel on Youtube
There are 15 videos created by Aloha Uchinaaguchi and you are able to learn basic conversation in Uchinaaguchi.

Uchina De Asobo / うちなーであそぼ is a five-minute TV program broadcasted by NHK Okinawa.  (JPN version)　

As of April 22, 2017, some of the contents created and maintained by NHK are no longer availalbe on their site. For excample, the page that used to have a story titld "Usagi to kame (The tortoise and the hare)" is no longer available at http://www.nhk.or.jp/okinawa/asobo/archives/125.html.

National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (NINJAL) / 国立国語研究所

Corpora and other useful resources are available. Use the search on the top page with keywords, such as 琉球. 

Ryukyuan Language Resources available at the Okinawa Collection at George Washington University Library

• https://libguides.gwu.edu/OC/recentacquisitions/languages

Last updated: April 15, 2021.

Skid Sid Kobashigawa has recently started a Youtube channel called the “Uchinaguchi Study Group." The target audience are individuals who have a desire to learn the Okinawan language. The lessons are conducted in English, and no prior knowledge of Uchinanguchi is necessary.  It will cover vocabulary, grammar, phrases and situational conversations in Uchinanguchi. Videos will be released every week and each will be about 8 – 15 minutes long.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQabjJxRQB58rPyZL_cYSTg

Last updated: April 16, 2021