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Thread: linguistics and ryukyu martial traditions

  1. #1
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    Greetings,

    A question for ryukyu martial arts researchers:
    I hope my lack of insight into the situation below may be excused for the sake of discussion of this topic -

    A great deal of interest is associated with the martial arts of Okinawa/Ryu Kyu today, and quite rightfully. However, while we see a move to maintain the integrity of the ryukyu traditions, I notice a violation of these same arts by some enthusiasts through the use of Japanese, rather than okinawan, 1. pronunciation of names, 2. terms, and 3. martial practices.

    Some specific examples:

    1. As I understand from a cursory study of the ryukyu dialect, only three vowels exist: "i", "a" and "u". Doug notes the terms "Ti', sui'di, naha'di " in the introductory greetings for this forum. Words used to describe ryukyu unarmed arts such as China Hand "Tu-di" (okinawan pronunciation) differ in pronunciation from the same word in mainland Japan "To-de". Therefore, how can words like "kobudo" exist in okinawan culture? There must either be a different word used to denote "classical martial arts" or at the very least correct ryukyu dialect pronunciation.

    2. Do words such as "kobudo" and "kyushojutsu" actually exist in the ryukyu martial vocabulary? Isn't "karatedo" a Japanese word, and if so, are Okinawan teachers satisfied with this influence from the mainland?

    It seems strange a Ryukyu word can be followed by a modern Japanese word to describe an art like "kobudo uchinadi" etc.

    3. for later discussion.

    Do practitioners of arts associated with the ryukyu chain feel that an okinawan art with some names of kata in ryukyu dialect having technique names in standard Japanese ("oi-tsuki" , "makikomi geri") is even a little odd?

    I hope we can open this discussion up to talk about the influence of the Japanese culture on ryukyu martial traditions, and possible efforts to maintain the latter.

    Yours sincerely,

    Daniel Lee

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    Originally posted by Daniel Lee
    A great deal of interest is associated with the martial arts of Okinawa/Ryu Kyu today, and quite rightfully. However, while we see a move to maintain the integrity of the ryukyu traditions, I notice a violation of these same arts by some enthusiasts through the use of Japanese, rather than okinawan, 1. pronunciation of names, 2. terms, and 3. martial practices.
    Daniel, you raise an excellent point!

    1. As I understand from a cursory study of the ryukyu dialect, only three vowels exist: "i", "a" and "u". Doug notes the terms "Ti', sui'di, naha'di " in the introductory greetings for this forum. Words used to describe ryukyu unarmed arts such as China Hand "Tu-di" (okinawan pronunciation) differ in pronunciation from the same word in mainland Japan "To-de". Therefore, how can words like "kobudo" exist in okinawan culture? There must either be a different word used to denote "classical martial arts" or at the very least correct ryukyu dialect pronunciation.
    The term "kobudo" is definitely a sort of odd duck. It is, as you note, a Japanese and not Okinawan word. On mainland Japan, the term is used more or less interchangeably with "koryu" and refers to the classical martial arts (kenjutsu, sojutsu, taijutsu) as opposed to the gendai or modern budo (karate, judo, aikido).

    When Okinawan weapons were popularized in the west, the term kobudo (literally "ancient martial ways") gained the incorrect connotation of "old weapons arts" and began to refer to, at least in the western mind, the Okinawan weapon arts.

    To my knowledge, the closest words for "classical martial arts" in the Ryukyuan dialects (there are several variations) are Ti' (which can also include weapons apparently) and "busaa" or "fighting arts".

    For the record, I should note that I am not a linguist. I am only sharing the knowledge I have at the moment. I hope some out there can further enlighten both of us.

    2. Do words such as "kobudo" and "kyushojutsu" actually exist in the ryukyu martial vocabulary? Isn't "karatedo" a Japanese word, and if so, are Okinawan teachers satisfied with this influence from the mainland?

    It seems strange a Ryukyu word can be followed by a modern Japanese word to describe an art like "kobudo uchinadi" etc.
    As far as I know, "No" ... to Question 1 ... those words are Japanese and "Yes" ... to Question 2a. As for 2b, I'd imagine it is a bit of a mixed bag. Some Okinawan teachers may see the language shift as an inevitable product of assimilation by Japan/USA and required for future dissemination of the arts.

    Others may be strict Ryukyuan "nationalists" who resist the influence of both Japan and America. When you consider the ravages of WWII and the recent unrest re: US military occupation, neither country has been particularly kind to the Ryukyuan people.

    In either case, I think is important to preserve as much of the Ryukyuan language as possible ... not only for cultural reasons, but because the words themselves describe techniques in ways which can often be lost in translation.

    As for Question 3, in a way this is not so different than say "spaghetti with meat sauce" or say "cheese croissant" both use foreign words to describe things which have no English equivalent.

    3. for later discussion.
    Do practitioners of arts associated with the ryukyu chain feel that an okinawan art with some names of kata in ryukyu dialect having technique names in standard Japanese ("oi-tsuki" , "makikomi geri") is even a little odd?
    See above.


    I hope we can open this discussion up to talk about the influence of the Japanese culture on ryukyu martial traditions, and possible efforts to maintain the latter.
    Agreed.
    Doug Daulton

  3. #3
    BarthS Guest

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    Guys:

    Firstly I would like to say that I am no expert on the Japanese or Okinawan languages. What I know of thier language would fit on a pin head <G>. But, I can share my own training experience as far as terminology goes. My training lineage goes directly back to Ueshiro Ansei who was originally sent to the States by Shoshin Nagamine. Obviously, both of these gentlemen are Okinawan. However, many of the terms which we always have used ever since I began training (1969) are Japanese. These terms would have come from Ansei & Nagamine both of which were teachers of Gary Tiktin who brought Matsubayashi into the Central Ohio area. we use a mixture of Japanese & Okinawan for kata names for example: we say basai rather than passai, okon rather than wankon. We use the term jigotai dachi rather than shiko dachi. It is my understanding that the word jigotai is Japanese and used in Judo to describe a concept rather than an actual stance. However, even Shoshin Nagamine uses this term of jigotai to describe what most refer to as shiko dachi.

    It would seem to me (based on my own experience) that even many of the Okinawans tend to use a mixture of languages in thier arts. Why ? I don't have any idea. Perhaps it is that they themselves are loosing thier own culture ?

    My own personal feeling is that "a rose by any other name is still a rose".

    Steve

  4. #4
    kusanku Guest

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    Okinawan stylists do use a mixture of japanese and Ryukyu dialects to describe our stuff. The Okinawan sensei used to teach the marines in broken English, and whe books were written by Okinawan stylists, a mixture of the Japanese and Okinawan was used by everyone.

    I been doing Okinawan karate for twenty eight years now, and I am not about to learn Okinawa-ben so I can say all my waza and kata in it, when even the Okinawan masters do not.

    For information purposes, Okinawa ken(Okinawa Prefecture) is part of Japan, and Japanese is taught in Okinawa schools.

    Why wouldn't they use japanese terms?
    That would be like me talking to everyone in Southern Indiana dialect.

    Feller!Mess with me. Means hey, Dude, don't hassle me, would you? Theres a good fellow!:-)

    That's Okinawan and Japanese.

    Kyusho jutsu was a term devised by Seiyu Oyata, Tenth dan Ryukyu Kempo, deliberately as a japanese Okinawan hybrid, as was tuite.In Okinawa those were called atemi waza or wass and Toidi.The Japanese is Atemi waza and torite.

    Uraken uchi is japanese for backfist, Okinawan is riken uchi.

    Let's not get too carried away. I'm American, not Okinawan.

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    Thumbs up thank you for your posts!

    Thank you for your responses gentlemen.

    It seems from your posts, that while something like "koryu nahadi" is a mixture of mainland Japanese and okinawan languages, that there is perhaps more of an acceptance of cultures/languages than, say, "koryu kungfu".

    Issues such as the re-learning of terminology could be incredibly difficult for those having put the time and effort over many years to relearn them, granted. But I cannot help thinking that by subscribing to Japanese linguistics, okinawan martial arts practitioners may be indirectly losing a very important part of their culture.
    I guess the preservation of what one has is the most crucial issue. I hope kata like "jitte" don't become known as "ten hands" in English in the future, or weapons like the tonfa/tuifa replaced by modern stylised police batons of a similar style simply because they are more accessable.

    A further question: While I presume kata in okinawa were taught with names from early times, how about the names of various techniques? For example, shuto, ura ken etc... (there I go using that Japanese terminology - kinda ironic!) I see in the Bubishi that some labels are given for different scenarios, but were specfic techniques named in the days karate/ti was practiced in the ryukyu's?

    Thank you all for your frank discussion,

    Daniel Lee

  6. #6
    kusanku Guest

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    Daniel:
    Again, Japanese and Okinawan are not two different languages, Okinawan is a dialect of Japanese.

    In fact, there are a number of diferent Okinawan or Uchinan dialcects, depending on hwrree in the Okinawan archipelago, you may reside, be it Kudaka Island, Yae Yama Island any of the main islands, or wherever else.

    There are also many dialects of japanese spoken on what we erroneously refer to the Japanese mainlan, inasmuch as Japan is also composed of a number of islands.

    In addition, Okinawa ben, is not the dialect taught in scools in Okinawa, but standard Nihongo, Japanese, is.

    In the American South, Southern dialect is not what is taught in schools, and never was.

    Neither is Massachussets or Maine dialect taught in schools there, although it is spoken at home.

    Saying we should speak in Okinawan dialect when we practice Okinawan karate is a little like saying we should speak in Alabama dialect when we cook grits and greens.

    As to did Okinawa ti waza have names, in Okinawan, Japanese and or Chinese, back in the Day, no, they did not, except as each teacher or school may have referred to them.For the most art, the ti waza have been nmed in ore recent times, modeled on Japanese jiujitsu waza names.

    The karate waza were more named after they reached Japan,and were taught as separate techniques.

    In Okinawa, training was centered on learning the kata, move by move but more as an entire sequence.

    Some say kaate training in Okinawan has deteriorated. They may not know where to go or who to talk to, as commercial does not over there equate to skilled.

    But since the Okinawans tend to themselves folow the japanese terminology rather than make up their own, though some may use a mixtyre of dialect nd japanese mainland , we may as well not try to 'create' artificially a traditional Okinawan rendering.

    Thing is, this historical revision thing has got to stop.

    Okinawan has had contact with China and Japan, they changed Chinese kata names and concepts into Okinawan ones, did the same to japanese.

    To then say you don't want the kata jitte to be referred to as Ten hands when in China, it would have been shir Shou ,and ten hands is what it means, is a little meanigless,imo.

    Why wouldn't we do what the Okinawans did, after thoroughly understanding the arts we learned from them, which we certainly are capable of doing, and rename them with our terminology if we wish?

    The Okinawans renamed the Chinese katas, or at least repronounced them in their dialect.

    I am in no hurry for this to happen, but inevitably, in a hundred years or so, it will.

    When my student teaches his grandchildren what I taught him,and they in turn teach it to theirs, it will be a different art. That's life.

    If the fundamental principles are preserved, it wil be enough.

    [Edited by kusanku on 10-30-2000 at 06:08 PM]

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    Hi John,

    Thanks for your views. While I might not agree with some of your linguistic assertions, I found your comments regarding the history of development of karate to be interesting.

    You assert Okinawan is a dialect of Japanese – yes, it is TODAY. However, many dialects across Japan were established to distinguish local residents from foreigners in a period of war/espionage in feudal Japan, created in a much similar way to Bahasa Indonesia today – artificially. Okinawa has much more influence from China than modern Japanese, making its linguistic existence different lexically and phonetically.

    I agree modern Japanese ?ghyoujungo?h (?gstandard language?h) is taught throughout all of the Japanese education system. But to suggest that, since the current political alignment of the Okinawan area is mainly as a prefecture of Japan, karate should use both standardized Japanese and Okinawan is a personal view that I disagree with. For example, the use of terminology from aikido/jujutsu (?) etc for grappling movements, terminology from Japanese weapons training for unique weapons practice within Okinawan martial arts is extraneous and deteriorates the original culture of the Okinawan area. This kind of cultural imperialism is rife throughout the West today due to the influence of American culture through mass media (even my spell checker doesn?ft recognize Australian/English spelling unless I set it especially). Whether or not an individual thinks it is a good thing is entirely up to them – BUT, we cannot deny that it is changing the face of cultures.

    >To then say you don't want the kata jitte to be referred to as Ten hands when in China, >it would have been shir Shou ,and ten hands is what it means, is a little >meaningless, imo.

    Sup Sao ? I was addressing the renaming of techniques/forms in the west into English. What I was referring to was a modernization of traditions. We all have a set of values that governs the liberal/conservative approach to the art we are studying, and my point was a liberalization of traditions leads to change in the arts from their original content/form.

    >Why wouldn't we do what the Okinawans did, after thoroughly understanding the arts >we learned from them, which we certainly are capable of doing, and rename them with >our terminology if we wish?

    As I said, we all have our own views on the approach to study. A more liberal approach would be satisfactory for liberal people. The fact is, our individualistic way of thinking here in the West dictates each of us has a right to an opinion. And underneath this philosophy is an unspoken idea that we are all wise enough to make our own decisions. But how can one person?fs ideas way up more than the combined experience of, say, a 400 year old tradition?

    I?fm not a practitioner of Okinawan martial arts, so I can?ft comment on the outlook of Okinawan people, but my experiences in the old school of traditional martial arts in Japan and China is that there is an inherent responsibility to preserve the teachings in their original form. In western culture we have a right to our own beliefs with anything – and this is one area where East and West may collide in martial arts culture.

    >I am in no hurry for this to happen, but inevitably, in a hundred years or so, it will.

    Point taken.

    Once again, thank you for your views!

    Sincerely,

    Daniel Lee

  8. #8
    kusanku Guest

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    Daniel-
    You're welcome.:-)

    Since Okinawa Ben and Japanese are Ural Altaic and the Chinese languages:-) are Sino-Tibetan and are not related aside from borrowed words,Japanese and Okinawa Nihoongo to Uchinoguchi are closely related.

    What Chinese influence?Also you state that you are not a practitioner of the Okinawan martial arts, then say that the use of aiki or jujitsu terms in Okinawan grappling, is debasing Okinawan culture.

    Time ut for history lesson. Okinawan grappling is from Japan, first brought to the island by the Japanese warrior Tametomo.

    Then the Okinawan aikijujitsu art, is supposed to have been taught to the Okinawan nobility by the Satsuma samurai invaders.It is supposed to be from the jigen ryu martial arts.

    Then the fact that the Okinawans did not retain the Chinese terminology for their techniques and only kept the Okinawanized pronunciation of the kata names, and in some cases replaced these with Okinawan names(ie Gojushiho and Nijushiho or Ue sei Shi and Ni Sei Shi instead of the Chinese names, and Happoren, a Japanization/Okinawanization, in this case identical, for the Mandarin Pa Pu Lien, Eight Continuous Steps or Eight steps training).

    Also the fact thatthe Okinawans simplified extremely the Chinese forms they had learned, so chaging the jings to nly one or two applied in a form instead of the original thrirty six or thirteen or eight, depending.

    Then the teachers who went to japan simplified it even more, and when it went to Korea, even more, and when it got to America from Korea and apan, even more, making Okinawan style practitioners,seem mysterious in comparison.

    Everyone changes what they learn, no one passes it on exactly, east and west are alike in this, only in th eas they try to sell the idea that no change has occured.

    Well here's the problem. It's 2000, and photography has been around since the 1830's or so, and books even longer, and manya Chinese book exists from even as late as the 1930's,and japanese ones from before the turn of the century, and Chinese ones even earlier, but lets stick to the ones with photos.

    So there is photographic and documented evidence that almost if not every martial art in the world today s far, far different than it was even seventy years ago, much less a hundred, much less centuries and millenia ago.

    There are pictures taken in Japan in the twenties and thrities of Okinawn karate and kobudo masters doing stuff we still do today, and looking very different than most do today, in the same styles.

    So where is passing down traditions unchanged in face of photographic evidence?

    I got video of Ch'eng Man-Ching doing the same Tai Chi form at fifty and again at almost seventy five, and he does it totally differently.

    Who doesn't change?

    Seen photos of Master Chibana Chosin of Shorin ryu, age almost one hundred, doing the kata Kusanku:-),and he doesn't look lke the peole today at all.Hands held at different levels, changing the meanng of the techniques, what gives?

    So why panic, its called shu ha ri, and is a known process .

  9. #9
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    Default Is supporting documentation available?

    Mr. Lee and Mr. Vengel

    This is an excellent discussion. I genuinely appreciate the respectful tone of the debate in which you have chosen to engage. It makes my job as a moderator that much easier!

    If you don't mind, could you both provide a brief list of some of the sources of your research and knowledge ... particularly around the evolution of Uchinan-guchi.

    I know I am interested in doing some follow-up reading and bet some of the other lurkers would be as well. :

    Thanks very much.

    _____________________
    Doug Daulton
    Moderator
    Okinawan Martial Arts

  10. #10
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    Ryukyuan and Japanese are more closely related to each other than any other languages, but structurally Ryukyuan is about as closely related to Japanese (and about as intelligible) as Icelandic is to Norwegian, and during the Edo era the Japanese considered it a totally separate language. For some bibliographic citations, try http://roger.ucsd.edu/search/dRyukyu...en+history/-17,-1,0,B/browse . A commonly copied sample of a thesis appears at http://www.okinawa.ws/language.html .

    The reason Japanese is taught in the Okinawan public schools is that in 1946 the US Army couldn't find enough Ryukyuan-speaking schoolteachers. They thought about using English, but wanted to get the kids off the streets ASAP so hired Japanese instead. Read Fisch's book, in which there is a whole chapter on education. The kids today often talk kinda like Hawaiians, in a dialect comprised of Japanese, Ryukyuan, and English words. Educated folks can switch back and forth with dizzying speed, and like everybody else, enjoy losing outsiders that way. For some academic discussion, see http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/multiling.html . (Japanese is also increasingly Japlish, with 10% of its vocabulary being English loanwords; see the same article.)

    Japanese assimilationist policies are discussed at http://www.jpri.org/jpri/public/op8.html ; you will note that the American separatist policies are not viewed too kindly here.

    Linguistically, if you're interested in Ryukyuan's Chinese roots, see also the list of books at the University of Hong Kong: http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/search*ch...e+phonology/-5,-1,0,B/browse

    For the language itself, note the Ryukyuan dictionary (Shuri dialect) at http://www.kokken.go.jp/public/eibun40/s005-000.htm . There don't appear to be any tutorials, though; at least none are mentioned at http://hometown.aol.com/rahammitt/lang.html

    Finally, if you read Japanese, try http://www.nii.ac.jp/sokuho/sokyu/CS...33324/1963.txt

    And that's just using the keyword search "Ryukyuan language" on Google...

    As for traditions, well, Goju Ryu dates to about 1918. Most Shorin Ryu systems really aren't too much older, as Itosu's innovations changed everything, and those are circa 1905-1915. Everything else is speculation and nationalism, often based on research done by the nationalist Iha Fuyu during the 1920s.

    Anybody read Japanese? Those are some books that need to be translated into English, as I'll bet money that they are where all kinds of our modern myths first saw light.

  11. #11
    kusanku Guest

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    Joe Brings home the bacon.As always.
    Thanks, Joe.

    As to Ryukyuan and Japanese being as close as Norwegian and Icelandic, Icelandic is Old Norse, pretty much. Icelanders can read the old Norse sagas pretty well, as is.

    So the two, while perhaps mutually incomprehensible are related. If anyone has ever heard South carolinians speak Gulla or Geechee,the first is an African dialect, the latter is English, but way altered.

    Chinese however,is linguisically different.

    I am by way of being a linguist, was trained in North Vietnamense durong the War.

    That language by the way is linguistically unique, however it borrows many words from cantonese, just as japanese and Ryukyuan borrow words from other Chinese dialects.

    Basically the difference between japanese and Ryukyu dialct, on the one had, and Chinese dialects, on the other , is this:Japanese is a member, with Ryukyu dialect, or the ural Altai language group which includes as well Korean, Mongolian, finnish, hungarian and turkic.

    Japanese, Korean and Mongolian all use a lot of Chinese words because of the cultural influence of that language and nation on them all.

    Japanese and Rykyu dialect, with the other Ural Altaic languages, are polysyllabic, agglutinative languages wherein portions are added or subtracted to the beginnings and ends of words to in some cases make of a word an entire sentence.The languages have tones as all do, but the tones carry meaning a little more than English, perhaps, but not making so much difference that they change everything.

    Chinese languages on the other hand
    are tonal, meaning that a word can have several different eanings, completely different , by being pronounced in a different tone of voice.Chinese is also a monosyllabic language with a grammar simpler than English while Ryukyu/ jaoanese grammar is much more difficult to learn than English.

    In Chinese Mandarin dialect, for instance,to say 'I do not know' is 'Wo Bu Jr Dao.'Four words and you better get the tones right.

    In Japanese, "I do not understand is 'Wakarimasen.'I will understand is Wakarimasho and I understand is Wakarimasu.

    See the differences?

    Chinese belongs to the Sino Tibetan language group, including Chinese and Tibetan and some other lesser known tongues.


    Saying that Japanese or Ryukyu dialect and Chinese are closely related is like saying that English and Arabic are closely related, while English speaking Muslims may se a number of Arabic words, the two languages are completely unrelated as far as historic times go, at least.

    The fact that Japanese was written much in Chinese characters, which are pictograms and ideograms not phonetic units, and borrowed Chinese pronunciations for many of the words, and shared a common culture and religions with China, though not completely, made a large borrowed vocabulary of Chinese appear in Japanese.

    But it doesn't make the language related.

    I am going now to read those url links. Didn't know we had a Ryukyu dictionary on-line, hot dog!

    Thanks Joe!

  12. #12
    Joe Swift Guest

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    Hi there Daniel-san, Mr. Miyagi speaking here ... sorry, couldn't resist, you can beat me up later, after work or something!!! ,

    While the discussions are interesting, I haven't the time to read all the way through yet, so for now I offer only the following.

    Preliminary knowledge you must have to understand the anecdote at the bottom:

    1. In Uchinaguchi, the term for a closed fist is "TIJIKUN." ... this would be described as "SEIKEN" in standard Japanese.

    2. Shimabuku Zenpo Sensei (by the way this term would be "shinshi" in Uchinaguchi), the current head of Seibukan Shorinryu. His father, Shimabuku Zenryo Sensei, was a student of Kyan Chotoku.

    Anyway, one day, according to Zenpo Sensei, he asked his father what the old Okinawan term for "chudan uchi uke" would be. His father replied "Tijikun." Same response for things like "age-uke" and "gedan-barai" etc.

    Also, during the fateful 1936 "meeting of the masters" Miyagi Chojun (student of Higashionna Kanryo and others, founder of Gojuryu Karatedo) mentioned that standardized terminology was needed for karate to be recognized by the Dai Nippon Butokukai, and that efforts were already under way in that direction.

    Just a couple of little tidbits that might spark some discussion...

    Sincerely,

    Joe Swift
    Mushinkan Dojo
    Kanazawa, Japan

    p.s. Daniel, Uematsu Sensei says "hi"

  13. #13
    kusanku Guest

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    Hi Joe and good to see you here my friend!

    The Founder of Okinawan Kenpo, Nakamura Shigeru, was called Chizikun Bushi(Punch Knight), and a naihanchiloaded fit is called Chizikun Bo.

    Would this be a different Romanization of the word Tijikun?

    I betcha it would.:-)Close anyway.

    Kusanku aka

  14. #14
    kusanku Guest

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    By the way, co founder of Okinawan Kenpo was Zenryo Shimabukuro, and both his name and that of Nakamura was on my sensei's certificate, they did all promotions in Okinawan Kenpo together.

    Until Shimabukro left to form Seibukan karate, including his own kata, Wanchin.

  15. #15
    UFIsshinryu Guest

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    you wrote:

    <<Chinese languages on the other hand are tonal, meaning that a word can have several different eanings, completely different , by being pronounced in a different tone of voice.Chinese is also a monosyllabic language with a grammar simpler than English while Ryukyu/ jaoanese grammar is much more difficult to learn than English.>>

    While Chinese is a tonal language (4 tones in Mandarin, 9 tones in Cantonese, etc.), it is no longer a monosyllabic language (although it was in its classical forms). I would also beg to differ that Chinese grammar is "simpler" than English grammar, or that Japanese grammar is more difficult to learn than English. For linguistic research into Mandarin Chinese, I'd suggest reading some stuff by Dr. Chauncey Chu, one of the top Chinese linguists in the world (and one of my teachers <g>).

    <<In Chinese Mandarin dialect, for instance,to say 'I do not know' is 'Wo Bu Jr Dao.'Four words and you better get the tones right.>>

    Or "wo bu zhidao" using the pinyin romanization system! <g>

    But this is a good example that Chinese is *not* a mono-syllabic language anymore ... the verb "to know" (zhidao) is a di-syllabic compound.

    Sincerely,
    David Evseeff

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