Kansai Dialect
Good morning, everyone. Today I'd like to talk about Kansai dialect. When I was a child, my aunt living in Kyoto visited us in Tokyo from time to time.
All of a sudden my mother spoke Kyoto dialect. She always said somthing at the end of the sentence "Dosu". and instead of Thank you, "Ookini". I found my mother foreign. The tone of Kansai dialect sounded unfamilliar, uncomfortable and mean to me.
When I entered a company in Osaka, I made friends with colleagues from the Kansai district. I sometimes talked with Mr. Katsuki, who graduated from Kobe University. One day he asked me,"What do you think, myself?" or in Japnese "Jibunwa?" I was disturbed by his last remark, "myself". I thought if he asked me for my opinion, he shoud give his thoughts at first. Later on I got to know "Jibunwa" of Kansai dialect meant "you" or in Japanese "Anatawa".
My company was located in front of Osaka Station. After hours I used to go drinking around the Minami district. It was a convenient place on my way back to the Kashiwara dormitory.
Well, my favorite snack-bar was called "Don Gabacho"on the Soemoncho Street. I had a wonderful time talking with chicks like Tsuki-chan, Hoshi-chan and Yoko-chan. Looks like I was into drinking.
I glimpsed at my watch. It says one o'clock. Oh my god! No trains! I had to take a taxi back to the dormitory.
When I got on the cab, I remembered the last time a cabbie took me to Kashiwara-Jingu in Nara by mistake. I ended up paying him a large amount of money. So, this time I told the driver over and over again, "Look here, I don't want you to misunderstand me. When I say Kashiwara, it is Kashiwara in the Yao district. See? You've got it?" Then he snapped, "Understood!" or in Japanese "Wakattema!"
It was the horrible Yao dialect. I wasn't tipsy anymore. As for me it was so scary to hear without "su"
at the end of the sentense. He was like an angry Yakusa. He should have said "Wakkatemasu" in accordance with the polite standard Japanese.
Speaking of the polite Japanese, my favorite dentist always uses polite words. When she injects anesthesia into the tooth gum for the treatmet of a decayed tooth, she would always warn me beforehand , "Kaneko-san, I'm going to sting" or in Japanese "SashimaSu." But she deliberately puts stress on the last syllable "Su".Besides her intonation rises at the end of the sentence. I think that is an tactful way of alleviating my pain. What a professioal dentist she is!
It's been over 40 years since I moved to Osaka. Now I'm accustomed to the Kansai dialect. Especially I like Osaka people with humor and play-on words.
All of a sudden my mother spoke Kyoto dialect. She always said somthing at the end of the sentence "Dosu". and instead of Thank you, "Ookini". I found my mother foreign. The tone of Kansai dialect sounded unfamilliar, uncomfortable and mean to me.
When I entered a company in Osaka, I made friends with colleagues from the Kansai district. I sometimes talked with Mr. Katsuki, who graduated from Kobe University. One day he asked me,"What do you think, myself?" or in Japnese "Jibunwa?" I was disturbed by his last remark, "myself". I thought if he asked me for my opinion, he shoud give his thoughts at first. Later on I got to know "Jibunwa" of Kansai dialect meant "you" or in Japanese "Anatawa".
My company was located in front of Osaka Station. After hours I used to go drinking around the Minami district. It was a convenient place on my way back to the Kashiwara dormitory.
Well, my favorite snack-bar was called "Don Gabacho"on the Soemoncho Street. I had a wonderful time talking with chicks like Tsuki-chan, Hoshi-chan and Yoko-chan. Looks like I was into drinking.
I glimpsed at my watch. It says one o'clock. Oh my god! No trains! I had to take a taxi back to the dormitory.
When I got on the cab, I remembered the last time a cabbie took me to Kashiwara-Jingu in Nara by mistake. I ended up paying him a large amount of money. So, this time I told the driver over and over again, "Look here, I don't want you to misunderstand me. When I say Kashiwara, it is Kashiwara in the Yao district. See? You've got it?" Then he snapped, "Understood!" or in Japanese "Wakattema!"
It was the horrible Yao dialect. I wasn't tipsy anymore. As for me it was so scary to hear without "su"
at the end of the sentense. He was like an angry Yakusa. He should have said "Wakkatemasu" in accordance with the polite standard Japanese.
Speaking of the polite Japanese, my favorite dentist always uses polite words. When she injects anesthesia into the tooth gum for the treatmet of a decayed tooth, she would always warn me beforehand , "Kaneko-san, I'm going to sting" or in Japanese "SashimaSu." But she deliberately puts stress on the last syllable "Su".Besides her intonation rises at the end of the sentence. I think that is an tactful way of alleviating my pain. What a professioal dentist she is!
It's been over 40 years since I moved to Osaka. Now I'm accustomed to the Kansai dialect. Especially I like Osaka people with humor and play-on words.
コメント
コメントを投稿