しまくとぅば

noun

mother tongue; native language of one's island

Refers to the language or dialect of the island where one was raised, especially in the Ryukyu Islands context. Often used with emotional attachment.

• 祖そ母ぼは島言葉しまくとぅばで話はなすと、とても優やさしい表ひょう情じょうになる。

  When my grandmother speaks in her island's mother tongue, her expression becomes very gentle.

• 島言葉しまくとぅばを次つぎの世せ代だいに伝つたえたい。

  I want to pass on our island's native language to the next generation.

noun

Okinawan language revival neologism

A term promoted by the Okinawan language revival movement to refer to the local Ryukyuan languages as a unified concept. Not a traditional word, but a modern coinage.

• 「島言葉しまくとぅば」は、沖おき縄なわの言げん語ご復ふっ興こう運うん動どうが広ひろめた新あたらしい呼よび方かただ。

  'Shimakutuba' is a new term spread by the Okinawan language revival movement.