Nantō

The term "Nantō" refers to a group of Japanese dialects spoken by the inhabitants of the Okinawa prefecture, extending from the Amami Islands to Yonaguni Island. These dialects have largely remained outside the mainstream of linguistic change, thus strongly preserving their ancient forms.1

Japan's varied geography, with its mountains and islands, has contributed to the development of numerous dialects that are often mutually unintelligible. While standard Japanese, based on the Tokyo dialect, is understood nationwide due to education and mass media, local dialects persist. The Nantō dialects are distinct from the Hondo dialect group, which encompasses Eastern, Western, and Kyushu dialects used throughout the rest of Japan.21

It is important to note that "Nantong" (or Nant'ung) also refers to a city and port in China.3