Okinawan Japanese

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Okinawan Japanese (ウチナーヤマトゥグチ, 沖縄大和口, Uchinaa Yamato-guchi) is the Japanese language as spoken by the people of Okinawa Islands. The name Uchinaa Yamato-guchi is composed of Uchinaa meaning "Okinawa", Yamato referring to mainland Japan, and the suffix -guchi approximately meaning "language."^[1] Okinawan Japanese's pronunciation and words are influenced by the Northern Ryukyuan Okinawan and Kunigami languages spoken on the islands. However, the amount of influence Ryukyuan has on the Japanese spoken by Okinawans varies by family and age,^[2] as well as by region.^[3] Because of the many US military bases found in Okinawa, Okinawan Japanese has incorporated some English loanwords.^[1] Okinawan Japanese is a Japanese dialect (方言), unlike the Okinawan and Kunigami languages. Standard Japanese is used in formal settings while Ryukyuan languages and Okinawan Japanese are used in informal settings.^[2]