noun
Ryukyuan languages
Linguistic term for the group of Japonic languages spoken in the Ryukyu Islands, distinct from mainland Japanese. Often contrasted with 琉球語 (Ryukyuan language) in older literature.
See also: 琉球語
琉球諸語は、日本語と系統を同じくする言語群である。
The Ryukyuan languages are a language family that shares a common origin with Japanese.
琉球語 is an older, broader term sometimes used synonymously, but 琉球諸語 emphasizes the plurality of distinct languages within the Ryukyuan branch.
Compound of 琉球 (Ryukyu) + 諸語 (various languages). The term reflects modern linguistic classification recognizing multiple Ryukyuan languages rather than a single 'Ryukyuan language'.