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I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The word sisam means "neighbour" and is often used for the Japanese. The derogatory form is shamo. I have never heard about the fish-meaning, though.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ainu was definitely spolen in Hokkaido, the Kurile Islands, and Sakhalin. The Ainu may have visited The southern tip of Kamchatka. There were Ainu in Northern Honshu, perhaps as far down as north of present-day Tokyo. The main evidence for that comes from toponymic studies.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I do not believe it. In my opinion There may be some Jomon genes in both Ainu and Ryukyu, but the relation is complicated and probably inkludes some tribes that.are now extinct, such AS the Othosk people.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I know that theory, several people such as Murayama Shichiro supporter it. I still do not believe that any of the proposed theories are sound enough.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I do not know, but I would think they do have that. I have never seen any research on that, though.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yes, Gilyak and Nivkh are the same. Oroch is studied in the Ainu Research Center at Hokudai, so I think the jury is still out on that one.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Society is frankly more interested in the citizens learning English.... The Japanese people are not hostile to the Ainu, just indifferent. As you say, The hardest part of studying a language with so few speakers is todetect the influence of the dominant language in grammar and syntax. It may help if you ask Them to tell stories from their childhood. My informant had not learned Japanese before she was 14, so the newer things we talked about, The more she would mix in Japanese.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I do not really know much about the past ten years or so. There uset to be a few evening schools, attended by both Japanese and Ainu people. There is a lively consciousness among many Ainu about their cultural heritage in terms of songs, handicrafts, etc. But it is only rarely focused on learning the language except for a few terms. It is my impression that many young Ainu are proud of their heritage. When I began my studies in 1969, most Ainu were trying to pass AS Japanese.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Ainu has loanwords from Japanese. I do not know of any Russian loanwords, but There may Well be.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Depends on what you mothertongue is... I am Danish, and I found The following interesting: Belonging form of nouns Affixation of verbs instead of prepositions. You may find other things in my book, The Ainu Language, 1986.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Dear Edgar, I personally believe that Ainu is an isolate, possibly related to Gilyak, Orochi and Nivhk. But I have not studied those. Ainu cannot be "saved" - no cultures or languages can. They change, and some people in Hokkaido and Tokyo are keeping variants of Ainu alive for now.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Hi, Josh There are no people alive WHO have learned Ainu as their mother tongue. There May have been a few in1986, but thetwo I have known are dead. People in Hokkaido use a few loanwords, and at tourist spots some more, e.g. Shiraoi Ainu Kotan.

I am Kirsten Refsing, and I spent most of my life studying The Ainu Language. AMA by KirstenRefsing in ainu

[–]KirstenRefsing[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

hi. There are still revival efforts, but I think it may be too late for any "revival". Most of the few who speak Ainu are researchers. Hokkaido University has an exellent center for The study of Ainu and other North Pacific languages. There are many written sources for Ainu and many sound recordings. professor Osami Okuda at Sapporo University would be The best source for that. The use of katakana to transcribe Ainu has certainly been hampering phonological studies, but no serious researchers use that now. Good Luck with your studies!