February 18 – Dialect Day on the Amami Islands of Japan

nPosted on February 18, 2019

Key Points

nI found this holiday mentioned on a list – but I always check multiple sources, and it was impossible to confirm. However, I so much enjoyed learning about Japan’s not-so-major islands, I decided to write about the supposed holiday anyway.

You probably already know that Japan is made up of four large islands – but did you know that the nation is made up of more than 6,800 islands altogether?

nI read that 430 of the Japanese islands are inhabited.

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nAnd eight of the inhabited islands make up the Amami Islands. They are located south of the four main Japanese islands.

Some of the Amami Islands formed from ancient coral reefs, and others were created by volcanic activity but are still surrounded by coral reefs.

nBecause the Amami people were separated by ocean from those who lived on the main islands of Japan, the Amami language is different enough from standard Japanese that someone who speaks only Japanese finds pretty much impossible to understand Amami, and vice versa.

nOnly there is no “vice versa,” because everyone on the Amami Islands speaks Japanese, thanks to schooling in that language.

nApparently most people on the Amami Islands speak a dialect of Japanese that is basically Japanese standard with an Amami accent and a sprinkling of Amami words and phrases.

nThe various Japonic languages (other than standard Japanese) are considered endangered because children are not learning them as their first language (or “mother tongue.”). I wonder if Amami will die out, except for the words that made their way into the Amami dialect of standard Japanese?

nAnyway, here are some photos of the Amami Islands: