also: うちなーぐち
Okinawan language; Okinawan dialect
Refers to the Ryukyuan language spoken in Okinawa, often called a dialect in Japanese context. Dialectal term (Ryuukyuu-ben).
I'm studying the Okinawan language.
My grandmother can only speak Okinawan.
沖縄方言 is the standard Japanese term for 'Okinawan dialect', often used interchangeably but can carry a nuance of being a dialect of Japanese rather than a separate language.
Katakana spelling is common and matches usual-kana usage.
Hiragana spelling; also common.
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is almost always written in kana.
From Okinawan 沖縄口 (うちなーぐち), literally 'Okinawa mouth/language'. The reading うちなー reflects the Okinawan pronunciation of 沖縄.