琉球語
Phonologically, the Ryukyuan languages have some cross-linguistically unusual features. Southern Ryukyuan languages have a number of syllabic consonants, including unvoiced syllabic fricatives (e.g. Ōgami Miyako 'breast'). Glottalized consonants are common (e.g. Yuwan Amami "horse"). Some Ryukyuan languages have phonemic central vowels, e.g. Yuwan Amami "tree". Ikema Miyako has a voiceless nasal phoneme . Many Ryukyuan languages, like Standard Japanese and most Japanese dialects, have contrastive pitch accent.