Macro-Yaeyama languages

Macro-Yaeyama is one of the two branches of the Southern Ryukyuan languages, comprising the Yaeyama and Yonaguni languages. It is defined by the development of "know" as a potential auxiliary, the semantic extension of "nephew" to being gender-neutral, and unique forms of the words exhibited by the table below.

Macro-Yaeyama Innovations

Region of Speech		'bud'	'dirt'	'fresh'	'happy'
Macro- Yaeyama	Ishigaki	báí	ɡábá	píɾáɡíɕáːŋ	sánìɕàːŋ
	Taketomi	bəi	ɡə̀bə́	píːɾèsàŋ	sənisəŋ
	Hatoma	bàì	ɡàbà	pìɾákèːŋ	sàníjàŋ
	Hateruma	bëː	ɡaba	piɾiːsahaŋ	sḁn̥iɕahaŋ
	Yonaguni	bai	ɡaba	çiɾaɡjaŋ	ɕànáŋ
Miyako	Ikema	miː	fu̥sɨ	çiɡuɾukai	hu̥kaɾasɨ̥kai
	Ogami	miː	napa	pukuɾukam	pukaɾaskam
	Tarama	fukɨ	naba	piɡuɭɭaɭ	pu̥kaɾaɕaːɭ
Amami	Shodon	mɘ̆ː	çîɡ.ɾú	sɨdaɕa	ʔuhoɾaɕa
Okinawa	Nakijin	mìdùɾí	píŋɡù	ɕìdàːɕêŋ	ɸù̥kùɾáɕèŋ

Macro-Yaeyama
Geographic distribution	Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa Prefecture
Linguistic classification	Japonic Ryukyuan Southern Ryukyuan Macro-Yaeyama
Subdivisions	Yaeyama Yonaguni
Language codes
Glottolog	macr1267

Although Yonaguni has historically been classified as either a primary branch of Ryukyuan or of the Southern Ryukyuan languages, its close relationship with Yaeyama is clear.^[1]