Yoron language
| Yoron | |
|---|---|
| ユンヌフトゥバ Yunnu Futuba |
|
| Native to | Japan |
| Region | Yoronjima within the Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture |
|
Native speakers
|
950 (2004) |
|
Japonic
|
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | yoro1243 |
The Yoron language (ユンヌフトゥバ Yunnu Futuba) is a dialect continuum spoken on Yoronjima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. It is one of the Northern Ryukyuan languages, which are a sub-branch within the Japonic languages family.
According to local folklorist Kiku Chiyo, Yoron dialects can be divided into three groups:
The Mugiya district is often considered to have a distinct form of accent and intonation.
According to Kiku Hidenori, who leads conservation activities, people of Yoron Island, Kagoshima Prefecture call their language "Yunnu Futuba." More precisely, a dictionary compiled by his mother Kiku Chiyo (b. 1927) gives /junnuhu⸢tuba/ as the word form of her home community, Mugiya-higashiku. Other words she collected include /junnu⸢jun/ (Yoron accent), /nizjancju⸢jun/ (accent of people of Mugiya-higashiku and Mugiya-nishiku), /sima⸢jun/ (speaking the dialect), /sima⸢guci/ and /simahu⸢tuba/ (the island/home community's language). Yamada Minoru (b. 1916) provides the word forms of the community of Chabana: /⸢ju⸣nnu ⸢fu⸣tuba/ and /⸢ʃi⸣ma ⸢fu⸣tuba/ (the island's language).
The following is the phonology of the Mugiya dialect, which is based on Hirayama et al. (1969).
Notes
The Yoron language has /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/ and /u/, long and short.
Only major sound correspondences are listed.
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