No.349 Monthly Yaima October 2023 issue

『 Reviving dialects in danger of disappearing!

In 2009, eight languages, including six Ryukyuan languages, Ainu, and Hachijo, were designated as endangered languages ​​by UNESCO.

The language with the highest level of endangerment, "very serious," is Ainu. The second most endangered languages ​​are Yaeyama and Yonaguni, both Ryukyuan languages. What does it mean for a language to disappear? Is there anything bad about it?

After participating in the course, I learned and thought about why it was in danger of disappearing, whether it can be revived, and how to revive it.

Special feature Yoriko Yamane