Talk:Yaeyama language

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[edit] History section

Could someone provide the source for the "Proto-Japanese" (should this be "Proto-Japonic")? I'm interested in any information I can find about this language family. ThomasWinwood(^t_c) 11:46, 27 July 2006 (UTC)

An entry for Proto-Japanese is on my to-do list.Bendono 07:50, 2 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Vowels

One example is the vowel system. Proto-Japanese had 8 vowels; this has been reduced to 5 in modern Japanese,

The 8 vowel hypothesis applies to Old Japanese. I must emphasis that it but one hypothesis. Another popular hypothesis was that the A/B distinction palalatized the consonant. There is little academic agreement on the issue. Wikipedia should not state the issue as if it is a fact.

There is more agreement that Proto-Japanese had fewer vowels than Old Japanese -- more likely 4 vowels. Refer to works by Susumu Ōno.

There is no need to evoke modern Japanese to discuss a 5 vowel system. Classical Japanese, immediately following Old Japanese, had 5 vowels. Bendono 08:05, 2 October 2006 (UTC)