Can a foreign tourist attend Okinawan language class in Naha?

Can a foreign tourist attend Okinawan language class in Naha? - Side view of anonymous male traveler with can of beverage admiring ocean from rough rocks under shiny sky in evening

I arrived in Naha, Okinawa yesterday and took an interest in the local language as usual since languages are one of my hobbies.

Okinawan is a dying language separate from Japanese that is not mutually intelligible with Japanese (though there is also an Okinawan variety of Standard Japanese).

My host in my hostel taught me a couple of phrases but I don't think he can really speak it since I've read that speakers younger than about 70 years old are very few.

Anyway, I stumbled across some lessons on YouTube by a very interesting half-American Okinawan who looks Western but only speaks Japanese and Okinawan. He learned Okinawan from elderly local people twenty years ago and at least up to two years ago apparently gave classes somewhere in Naha with the support of the local authorities.

But I can't seem to find anything on whether these classes are still on offer with him or another teacher, what the exact location and meeting place is, whether enrolling is necessary or casual members of the public including foreign tourists can turn up, and whether there's a fee. Does anybody know more about this? Or at least can somebody who can Google in Japanese find out?



Best Answer

After following the BBC links to his English website, it seems he teaches at a cultural center in Naha...

I currently teach Uchinaaguchi at the Well Culture School in Naha. If you have any inquiries or would like to try it out, please call 098-832-5588.

Judging by the Japanese news page which still mentions his teaching as recently as autumn last year, I would have said it is ongoing, however I've tried searching the site for the course and couldn't find any results. I don't speak enough Japanese to get the details by phone, but I'll try and rope in a friend in who can.

Alternatively his profile page states:

Uchinaaguchi(Okinawan Language) Lessons/Lecture

I can teach/lecture about Uchinaaguchi (Okinawan Language) and will accommodate your time requirements. I can tailor your needs to Junior High School, Senior High School, College and other Institutions. Please feel free to contact me and discuss further!

That I did. The next classes (all in Japanese I might add) are the 5th April 2014 and the 19th April 2014, from 9:30am to 11:30am.




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Can Japanese understand Okinawan?

OKINAWAN \u201cDIALECT\u201dThe Okinawan languages are related to Japanese, but they are by no means mutually intelligible. Today, almost everyone on mainland Okinawa can speak standard Japanese, though there are regional words and slight grammatical variations particular to Okinawa.

Is Okinawan language endangered?

UNESCO listed six Okinawan language varieties as endangered languages in 2009. The endangerment of Okinawan is largely due to the shift to Standard Japanese. Throughout history, Okinawan languages have been treated as dialects of Standard Japanese.

How can I go to Okinawa?

There are frequent flights from Tokyo to Naha on Okinawa's main island every day as well as direct flights to the outlying island of Ishigaki. There are also seasonal direct flights to Miyako Island. You can also catch connecting flights to the outlying islands of Miyako, Ishigaki, Yonaguni and Kume from Naha Airport.

Does Okinawa use kanji?

Written Okinawan However by the 16th century Okinawan was written with a mixture of kanji and hiragana. After Okinawa was taken over by the Satsuma clan 1609, the offical written language became Japanese and Kanbun, a variety of Classical Chinese.



Uki Uki Chat! - Okinawan Language




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