Dialects in Japan

Heyyy, I came back to Japan! :D Now I'm in my hometown, Kanazawa city.

My parents came and picked me up at the airport yesterday. When we were talking in the car, I found myself speaking in Kanazawa dialect unconsciously. Though I never speak like that when I'm not in Kanazawa. It's not very different from the standard Japanese, but it has a bit western Japanese accent and characteristic ways of speaking.

You know, there're many dialects in Japan. The most famous one might be 関西弁(かんさいべん) /kansai ben/ Kansai dialect, which is spoken in Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto are one of the prefectures in Kansai). I've heard many Taiwanese people go to 関西弁 class besides the standard Japanese class. Many people say it sounds funny and humorous. I guess it is because we have a strong stereotype that people from Kansai (especially from Osaka) are all outgoing, love jokes, friendly and talkative.


*Japanese Word of the Day*
なまってる
/namatteru/
to have a specific accent, to speak in a dialect

なまり
/namari/
a specific accent

方言（ほうげん）
/hougen/
a dialect

If you have a chance to visit cities except for Tokyo, try to listen how local people talk each other. Some young people tend not to speak their dialects, but I love the variousity of languages, even it is considered as "rural dialect". :-) What do you think?


That's all for today! I'll write about Japanese traditional gardens next time :-) See you soon!