The Japonic languages are a language family believed to descend from a common language known as Proto-Japonic.

Members

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The Japonic languages are:

• Japanese languages ()
  • Eastern Japanese (now represented only partially by the speech of Aogashima, Tokyo; Hachijojima, Tokyo; Minamidaito, Okinawa; Kitadaito, Okinawa; and a few other small islands)
  • Western Japanese (represented by all Mainland Japanese dialects)
    • Eastern Western Japanese dialects, including most dialects east of the Kanto region
      See also: Japanese dialects#Eastern Japanese
    • Western Western Japanese dialects, including most dialects west of the Kansai region
      See also: Japanese dialects#Western Japanese

• Ryukyuan languages ()
  • Amami ()
    • Northern dialect
      • Tanegashima dialect
      • Yakushima dialect
      • Northern Oshima dialect
    • Southern Amami dialect
      • Southern Oshima dialect
      • Yoron dialect
  • Okinawan ()
    • Kunigami dialect (or Northern Okinawan)
    • Ie dialect
    • South-Central dialect (or Standard Okinawan)
      • Mainland dialect
      • Shimajiri dialect (the linguistic affiliations of the Shimajiri dialects are uncertain, but are often included in the Southern dialect because the Shimajiri region is often considered to be part of that region)
  • Miyako ()
    • Miyako dialect
    • Irabu dialect
  • Yaeyama ()
    • Ishigaki dialect
    • Iriomote dialect
    • Taketomi dialect
  • Yonaguni ()

Origins

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The relationship of the Japonic languages to other languages and language families is uncertain. There are numerous theories, some of which have attracted considerable controversy; none is generally accepted. These are described in the article Japanese language classification.

External links

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• Ethnologue report for the Japanese language family

Buyeo languages | Japonic languages

Yezhoù japanek | Japanisch-Ryukyu | Lenguas japónicas | Teangacha Seapóineacha | 일본어족 | Japonų kalbos | 日本語族 | Línguas japônicas | Limbi japonice | Japanilaiset kielet | Hệ ngôn ngữ Nhật Bản