Uchinaaguchi 101 -Let’s learn Uchinaaguchi (Okinawan language) and its history!-
What will you learn from this workshop?
Haisai/Haitai (Hello)! Nifee deebiru (Thank you)! You have likely heard those words from your friends and colleagues on the OIST campus. Did you know that Uchinaaguchi, the Okinawan language, and other languages in the Ryukyu archipelago are endangered? This session will give a sneak peek at:
- Why are they endangered?
- What words can we use for everyday campus life?
- Who is passing on these languages?
This fun session is for all OIST communities interested in indigenous languages and/or Uchinaa (Okinawa)!
Uchinaaguchi: はいさい/はいたい (Hello)！にふぇーでーびる (Thank you)！むしかしーねー、OISTぬ どぅしんちゃー えーじゅから かんねーる うちなーぐち ちちゃるくとぅ あいびーる はじやー。やいびーしが、うちなーぐちとぅか るーちゅーぬ しまじまんかい ある くとぅばー たったたった ねーん ないぎーんり いらっとーし わかいびーてぃー？うぬ セッションをぅてぃ うちなーに ちーてぃ、るーちゅーぬ くとぅばに ちーてぃ いひぐゎー 紹介 さびーん。
- ぬーんち くとぅば ねーん ないが？
- 学校・しぐとぅ をぅてぃ ちかーりーる くとぅーばー ぬーが あが？
- たーが うちなーぐち うきちじょーいびーが？
うぬ セッショノー うちなーぬ くとぅば・うちなーにちーてぃ すーみぬ あみせーる ぐすーよーぬ たみなかい さびーんどー！
Join us!!
Gijs van der Lubbe, PhD (he/him/his) is a part-time lecturer (Meio University, Okinawa Christian University, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa College of Rehabilitation and Welfare), and researcher.
His research focuses on the grammatical description of the Northern Ryukyuan languages and the development of learning materials. He is doing fieldwork on Okinoerabu Ryukyuan (Shimamuni), Torishima Ryukyuan (Tuishimaguchi), and several varieties of Okinawa Ryukyuan (Uchinaaguchi). Other activities are hosting a radio show entirely in Uchinaaguchi on a local radio station and the organisation of Uchinaaguchi courses.
Uchinaaguchi: ハイス・ファン＝デル＝ルべ（博士）や 名桜大学、キリ学、琉大、琉リハをぅてぃ ならーちょーいびーん。また、るーちゅーぬ くとぅばぬ 文法 しらびとーいびーん。あんさーに、うちなーぐちぬ ならーするたみなかい、すむち ちゅくたい そーいびーん。
おきえらぶぬ くとぅば（しまむに）、とぅいしまぬ くとぅば（とぅいしまぐち）、うちなーぐちんでーに ちーてぃ ろんぶん かちぇーびーん。るーちゅーぬ しまじまんかい ぅんじ、くとぅば ちちゃい しらびたい そーいびーん。あんさーなかい、むる うちなーぐちし する ラジオばんぐみん そーいびーん。また、うちなーぐち びんちょーくゎいをぅてぃん ならーちょーいびーん。
Members of Umui★Project:
Misato Matsuda (she/her), OIST
Seira Machida (she/her), Yomitan Village History Editorial Office and University of Hawai’i
Yoshino Taira (she/her), Shimakutuba Revitalization Center
Although they were born and raised in Okinawa, they did not have the opportunity to learn their indigenous language (Uchinaaguchi) as a native language. They had to learn it as a second language as adults. They, new speakers of Uchinaaguchi, have a strong desire and passion (umui) to preserve it. They established the “umui★Project” to reclaim the values of Uchinaaguchi themselves by sharing their stories and ideas about it. Currently, they are actively working with Yomitan Village.
Uchinaaguchi: わったーや うちなーをぅてぃ ぅんまりてぃ ふどぅいーやびたしが、うちなーぐち ゆすぬくにぬ くとぅばぬぐとぅ びんちょー さびたん。うちなーぐち ないる しーじゃんちゃーが いきらく なとーみせーびーくとぅ、うちなーぐち ぬくち いちぶさんでぃ いーる、 ちゅーさる うむい むっちょーいびーん。あんさびーくとぅ「うむい★プロジェクト」 たちあぎやびたん。わったー みっちゃえー、うちなーぐちとぅか うちなーに ちーてぃぬ うむい くとぅばんかい なさーに、 どぅーぬ ぅんまりじまぬ くとぅばぬ にーうち、うきちじゅる ちむえー かんげーてぃ はなし そーいびーん。なまー、ゆんたんじゃをぅてぃ ありくり そーいびーん。