The Language of the Old-Okinawan Omoro Sōshi: Reference Grammar, with Textual Selections

By Rumiko Shinzato and Leon A. Serafim

The Omoro Sōshi (1531-1623) is an indispensable resource for historical linguistic comparison of Old Okinawan with other Ryukyuan languages and Old Japanese. Leon A Serafim and Rumiko Shinzato offer a reference grammar, including detailed phonological analyses, of the otherwise opaque and dense poetic/religious language of the Omoro Sōshi.

Meshing Western linguistic insight with existing literary/linguistic work in Ryukyuan studies, and incorporating their own research on Modern Okinawan, the authors offer a grammar and phonology of the Omoro language, with selected (excerpts of) songs grammatically analyzed, phonologically reconstructed, translated, and annotated.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 900441469X
• ISBN13: 9789004414693
• Release Date: March 2021
• Publisher: Brill
• Length: 446 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.3"