This handbook offers the most appropriate and up-to-date answers pertaining to Ryukyuan language structures and use, and the ways in which these languages relate to Ryukyuan society and history. Each of the more than 30 chaptersdelineates the research history of its area, comprises the most important and representative information on the state of research, spells out future research desiderata, and includes a comprehensive bibliography. The handbook will serve as standard reference work for many years to come.