Hiroshima Dialect

[Elgin]

Someone told me that people in Hiroshima don't speak standard japanese. I have no clue what she meant by that. Can someone help me out.

 

[neko_girl22]

There are many, many dialects in Japan. Kanto/ Tokyo Japanese is what they call "standard". Some accents in Japan are so thick Japanese from other areas can't understand them! Like Tohoku, or down here in Kagoshima. My kansai husband says he understands maybe 70% of his co-workers who speak thick Kagoshima-ben (dialect).
In Hiroshima they also have their own dialect/ accent. I think they tend to end their sentences with Ja... not sure though. Dialects are so interesting!

 

[Elgin]

So if I study in Hiroshima will other Japanese from different cities understand me?

 

[neko_girl22]

If you study in a school they will of course teach you "standard" Japanese. I guess if you were there long enough you might pick up some Hiroshima intonation or a bit of slang.
I know some kansai-ben (hubby's from Kobe) and some Kagoshima-ben and some people say I have a bit of a Kagoshima accent.... I'm kinda proud of that, but I stick to "standard" Japanese unless with friends.

 

[Ewok85]

Every school in japan teaches the same japanese which is 'standard' japanese. You should be ok, an accent is cool imo.

Think of it like the differences in english from england and america and australia etc. Its all english but we use different words

 

[Elgin]

Nice if I pick up some crazy slang, i'll maybe leave my sensei in Canada confused.

 

[neko_girl22]

Every school in japan teaches the same japanese which is 'standard' japanese. You should be ok, an accent is cool imo.

Think of it like the differences in english from england and america and australia etc. Its all english but we use different words

yeah I think it's cool too but I've heard people using country accents are slightly looked down upon by other Japanese. Except, now for the Kansai accent which has been made "cool" through many famous kansai comedians on TV.
Anyway, as long as you don't have a problem with it or plan to work in a job using Japanese then you'll be fine.

 

[Elgin]

This is what I saw from many websites:

Hiroshimaben, which has acquired something of a sleazy reputation through no fault of the locals. The region was the setting for a popular film about the Yakuza some time ago and the dialect has been associated with the criminal underclasses ever since. Most Japanese outside the region see it as rough and a little dirty, a form of intimidation if spoken forcefully. An indication of the widespread nature of this stereotype is that even Hollywood movies will sometimes have their gangsters and thugs speaking in Hiroshima-ben.

 

[sushiman]

This is what I saw from many websites:

Hiroshimaben, which has acquired something of a sleazy reputation through no fault of the locals. The region was the setting for a popular film about the Yakuza some time ago and the dialect has been associated with the criminal underclasses ever since. Most Japanese outside the region see it as rough and a little dirty, a form of intimidation if spoken forcefully. An indication of the widespread nature of this stereotype is that even Hollywood movies will sometimes have their gangsters and thugs speaking in Hiroshima-ben.

This is more or less correct. If you're interested in learning more about the Hiroshima dialect, check out this page. It gives a lot of the phonetic changes, specialized words, etc. that are common in the region.

 

[kaz]

http://www.estat.us/id82.html

Hello, I started my lecture on Hiroshima dialect on my website. Questions welcome.

Kaz