Typing Culture with Keyboard: Okinawa - Reviving the Japanese Ryukyu Language through the Art of Digital Input

Explore a 31-minute conference talk from the 38th Chaos Communication Congress (38C3) that examines the development of an input method engine (IME) for the endangered Okinawan language of Japan's Ryukyuan archipelago. Discover how digital typing becomes a form of cultural preservation as presenter Daichi Shimabukuro demonstrates how the complex Japanese writing system—comprising hiragana, katakana, and kanji—can be adapted for Okinawan language input. Learn how this digital tool allows over 10,000 characters to be input using a standard QWERTY keyboard, addressing the phonological distinctions of Okinawan and expanding the Chinese-Japanese-Korean (CJK) language family. The presentation illustrates how modern technology intersects with language preservation, transforming each keystroke into a deliberate cultural choice that empowers endangered language speakers to express themselves in today's digital world.