It's still at a rather low level from the bits and pieces that I've been able to glean here.
Are you a native? I was always told (and noticed on my own) that natives typically don't say such things like that. And only a native would be able to determine my ability, so, by rating me as a non-native, you are becomming a hypocrite for trying to be something you're not, which is what you're accusing me of doing.
But most importantly, who wouldn't be suspicious and hostile of their beautiful, unique language being experimented with by a foreigner only interested in losing an accent and proving in some very idealized way their fidelity to traditional Japanese culture ? The whole idea behind picking a dialect arbitrarily because there is more documentation of it on the Internet is insulting and I have no doubt completely incomprehensible from the standpoint of the people you profess to respect so highly.
That is a matter of opinion. Unless japanese get offended easily, i can't see why they'd be bothered. I would imagin they would have more respect for some one who's trying to learn one.
Speaking with words from that local will not ensure you loose your "American accent" any faster.
Of course not, though trying to match the accent itself will. Using the words makes me use the dialect's words, using the accent makes me loose my american accent. And they both seemingly come together in japan.
We all know that the accent of standard Japanese is indistinguishable from the accent of American English. Seriously, you come up with such naive tommyrot that I can't think of a way to take it apart and straighten you out on it without coming across as viciously cruel.....which is all that has kept me from doing it.
Standard japanese is a mixture of all the accents. Making it difficult to pick up one from it.
And, like Elizabeth, I am extremely loath to say anything which seems critical of another person's best efforts with whatever language they're learning....but suffice it to say that when I suggested that instead of this odd idea you have regarding picking up a dialect you should give thought to concentrating on standard Japanese I was doing my darnedest to be gentle.
I find that hard to believe, considering you didn't have to post this at all, for it didn't deepen my insight into the topic that i asked for assistance on.
Another common reason to wish to put on the affectation of a regional dialect is to cover up one's deficiencies in the presence of students who put effort into standard Japanese.
I only do that to difinitive waps who stick only to ローマ字 or are over confident with themselves (Tomii for example), but even then i don't even pick an obscure dialect to do that. I'll admit i'm a bit of a showoff, but to sit there and show off with japanese is pointless, especially for i get mocked enough for it. I can assure you, i have better things to show off with than a language.
People are probably mistaking you for an otaku because you are speaking shoddy Japanese with an American accent. To the best of my knowledge, anime fans are not known for speaking standard Japanese; they are mostly known for speaking bad Japanese.
Mostly, but a few of those freaks actually speak standard Japanese, though they still are few in numbers.
Of course this is all moot anyway. Unless you can find an extensive collection of Iwate-ben audio and/or a conversation partner who speaks that dialect, there is no way that you will acquire the accent of that dialect. It's impossible. You can't learn an accent by reading web pages.
Exactly, which is why i lost hope on 宮崎弁, but i did find a bit of audio material on 岩手弁. Including a nice "dictionary" with recordings of almost every word being said. i think a few words are not in there, but you can never expect to get everything from one source.
So stick to standard Japanese and if someday you find yourself living in some regional area of Japan, I hope you enjoy picking up the local dialect. I must admit, it is a bit fun.
Perhaps you have a point. I have less than a week before i'll no longer have time to pick it up. Though i will say it was a bit unrealistic of me to try to pick up the accent itself in less than a month.