Ibaraki dialect

The Ibaraki dialect (Shinjitai: , Kyujitai: ) is a Japanese dialect spoken in Ibaraki Prefecture. It is noted for its distinctive use of the sentence-ending particles (''be'') and (''ppe'') and an atypical intonation pattern that rises in neutral statements and falls in questions. It is also noted for its merging of certain vowels, frequent consonant voicing, and a relatively fast rate of speech.

Classification

Historically, the forms of Japanese spoken in the area that constitutes modern-day Ibaraki were not treated as a unified dialect until the formation of the prefecture in 1871. Conflicting opinions have existed regarding its classification, however. Along with the Tochigi dialect, the Ibaraki dialect is considered a part of the wider North Kantō dialect, with some shared traits with traditional Tokyo dialects. Despite this, several notable similarities with Tōhoku dialects have created debate over this status. Support for a Kantō dialect classification has come from Japanese language experts such as Misao Tōjō and Katsuo Ōhashi, who placed it as part of ‘East Kantō’ and ‘Northwest Kantō’ dialects, respectively. Other experts, such as Tsuneo Tsuzuku and Haruhiko Kindaichi, have supported its classification as a Tōhoku dialect. When assigning Ibaraki to a regional group, Tsuzuku and Kindaichi both added it to nearly identical areas that include Tochigi, Fukushima, southern Iwate, and eastern Yamagata.

Subdivisions

Yoshio Taguchi proposed the following subdivisions in 1939, dividing it into ''northern'', ''southwest'', and ''southern''.

* Northern: Centred around the districts of Taga, Kuji, and Naka. Includes parts of Higashiibaraki and Kashima.
* Southwest: Consists of most of the former Shimōsa Province. Centred around Sashima District and includes Yuki, Kitasōma, and west Makabe.
* Southern: Centred around the districts of Niihari and Inashiki. Includes Namegata, Tsukuba, Nishiibaraki, and the remainder of Makabe.

Phonology

The Ibaraki dialect is phonetically distinct from standard Japanese and more closely resembles other Kantō and Tōhoku dialects. Among its most characteristic phonetic traits is the tendency for speakers to voice certain syllables that are usually unvoiced in standard Japanese. Specifically, syllables beginning with a ''k''- or ''t''- sound. For example, (''ka'') is pronounced as (''ga''), and (''ta'') becomes (''da''). This means words like ''byōki'' (, "illness") sound closer to ''byōgi,'' and ''watashi'' (, "I/me") becomes ''wadashi''. Other notable traits include the reduced distinction between (''i'') and (''e'') sounds and (''hi'') and (''he'') sounds; silent (''ji''), (''zu''), (''bi''), and (''bu'') sounds in certain situations; vowel merging; and the absence of a pitch accent. Generally, differences in the spoken language are not reflected in the written language, where speakers will write in standard Japanese. Many of these traits are less common in urban areas and parts of the prefecture that are closer to Tokyo, where speakers tend more towards standard Japanese.

Syllable voicing

Voiced syllables

When occurring within or at the end of a word, syllables beginning with ''k''- ( ''ka,'' ''ki,'' ''ku,'' ''ke,'' ''ko'') and ''t''- ( ''ta'', ''chi'', ''tsu'', ''te'', ''to'') become voiced. The ''ka'' at the end of ''tosaka'' (, "cockscomb") is voiced to become ''ga'', but the beginning ''to'' remains unvoiced to produce ''tosaga'' (). Similarly, ''atashi'' (, "I/me") becomes ''adashi'' (), ''dekiru'' (, "to be able to") becomes ''degiru'' (), and ''kaki'' (, "persimmon") becomes ''kagi'' (). ''K-'' and ''t-''starting syllables in particles and auxiliary verbs are also subject to voicing, i.e., ''nai kara'' (, "because there is none") becomes ''nē gara'' (), and ''zureta no dewanai ka'' (, "it’s slipped out of place") becomes ''zureda n danē ga'' (). Occasionally, syllables occurring at the start of a word may also be voiced. For example, ''kaban'' (, "bag") is pronounced as ''gaban'' ().

In certain situations, voicing does not occur, including:

* When the ''k-'' and ''t-''starting syllables come directly after a small-''tsu'' (). For example, ''mikka'' (, "three days") does not become ''migga'', the ''kke'' in ''sokkenaku'' (, "curtly, coldly") remains as ''kke'', and ''kettei'' (, "decision") is not pronounced as ''keddei''.
* When the ''k-'' and ''t-''starting syllables come directly after a (''n'') sound. For example, ''kinko'' (, "safe") does not become ''kingo'', and ''bancha'' (, "coarsely ground tea") does not become ''banja''.
* When the ''k-'' and ''t-''starting syllables are part of an onomatopoeic word. For example, ''pakapaka'' (, "clip clop") and ''batabata'' (, "noise, commotion") remain the same.

Semi-voiced and unvoiced syllables

In contrast to the frequent voicing of ''k''- and ''t-'' starting syllables, (''ji''), (''zu''), (''bi''), and (''bu'') sounds may become semi-voiced or unvoiced when directly proceeding a ''k-'' or ''i-'' sound. For example, the ''ji'' proceeding the ''ka'' in ''sanjikan'' () is not fully voiced, leading to a pronunciation closer to ''sanchikan'' (). Other examples include ''mijikai'' (, "short") becoming ''michikai'' (), ''hazukashii'' (, "embarrassed") becoming ''hatsukashii'' (), and ''zabuton'' (, "cushion") becoming ''zaputon'' ().

Other than ''ji'', ''zu'', ''bi'', and ''bu'', syllables in certain words may be unvoiced. In a striking reversal of the dialects voicing tendency, the limit-indicating particle ''dake'' (, "only") is unvoiced in the Ibaraki dialect, becoming ''take'' ().

Decreased distinction between ''i'' and ''e''

A renowned characteristic of the dialect is the reduced distinction between (''i'') and (''e'') sounds. Instead of a clear ''i'' or ''e'', a sound somewhere in the middle is pronounced. The word ''Ibaraki'' () has a clear ''i'' sound in standard Japanese but, in the Ibaraki dialect, the beginning ''i'' approaches an ''e'' sound, sounding closer to ''ebaraki'' to non-dialect speakers. Similarly, the ''i'' in ''shokuin'' (, "staff member") changes to sound like ''shokuen'' (), the standard Japanese pronunciation for "table salt". In contrast, the ''e'' in ''enpitsu'' (, "pencil") is pronounced closer to an ''i'', and sounds more like ''inpitsu'' (). Pairs like ''eki'' (, "train station") and ''iki'' (, "breath") lose most of their distinction. This trait is pronounced enough to occasionally cause speakers to misspell words. This ''i'' – ''e'' merging is also seen in other Kantō and Tōhoku dialects, and, although widespread across Ibaraki, the trait is experiencing a decline due to decreasing usage among the younger generation.

Vowel merging

When occurring in succession, certain vowels have their sounds blended and lengthened. These include:

* ''a'' + ''i'' ( + ) become ''ē'' (). For example:
** ''akai'' (, "red") → ''akē'' ()
** ''zaimoku'' (, "lumber") → ''zēmoku'' ().
** Negative verb inflections, ending in the adjective ''nai'' (, "there isn’t"): ''nai →'' ''nē'' (): ''shinai'' (, "do not") → ''shinē'' ().

* ''a'' + ''e'' ( + ) also become ''ē'' (). For example:
** ''kaeru'' ( or , both , meaning "frog" and "go home" respectively) → ''kēru'' ().
* ''a + u'' ( + ) become ''ā'' (). For example:
** ''utau'' (, "to sing") → ''udā'' ().
** ''kau'' (, "to buy") → ''kā'' ().

Pitch accent

Except for a small area surrounding Kamisu in the southeast tip of the prefecture, the Ibaraki dialect does not have a distinct pitch accent. This differs from standard Japanese and other western Kantō dialects, but is a trait shared with Fukushima, Miyagi and Tochigi dialects. Homophones that are usually distinguished by different pitch accents, such as ''hashi'' (, "bridge") and ''hashi'' (, "chopsticks"), are pronounced in a flat, identical tone.

Grammar

Particle usage

Several particles rarely used in standard Japanese can be found in the Ibaraki dialect.

''ppe'' (っぺ) and ''be'' (べ)

Sentence-ending particles used to express volition, persuasion, or conjecture. Morphological variants of ''kantō bei'' and remnants of the literary ''beshi'' (). Sometimes spoken as long sounds, i.e., ''bē'' () and ''ppē'' ().

* ''Doushite darō, umai guai ni ikanai na'' (, "This isn’t going so well, I wonder why...")
**→ ''nandappe, umagu iganē na'' ().
* ''Kore kara mito ni ikō yo'' (, "Let’s go to Mito")
**→ ''ima gara mito sa igu be yo'' ().

Although ''be'' usually attaches to the end of verbs without triggering inflection, the irregular verb ''kuru'' (, "to come") can become either ''kibē'' () or ''kube'' () when combined with ''be''. Similarly, the irregular verb ''suru'' (, "to do") conjugates to ''shibe'' () or ''sube'' () when ''be'' is added. For a stronger expression of emotion than ''be'', -''ppe'' can be added to the stem form. For example, ''kiru be'' (, "I will cut it") is less emotive than ''kippe'' (, "I will cut it"), which implies a stronger sense of volition.

* ''Kami o hasami de kirō'' (, "I’m going to cut some paper")
**→ ''Kami o'' ''hasami de kippe'' ().
* ''Dō shiyō'' (, "what shall do?")
**→ ''dō sube'' () or ''dō suppe'' ().
* ''Kaita darō'' (, "I wrote it, didn’t I?")
**→ ''kaita be'' () or ''kaitappe'' ().

''sa'' (さ)

Case-marking particle used to denote direction. Equivalent to (''he'') or (''ni'') in standard Japanese. Used in other parts of Kantō and Tōhoku.

* ''Mito he itte kita'' (, "I went to Mito")
**→ ''Mito sa itte kita'' ().

''ke'' (け): recollection

Sentence-ending particle used to express recollection or reminiscence. Usually attaches to the end of past-tense verbs, i.e., those ending in (''ta''), but may replace the final part altogether.

* ''Sō da, ano toki wa ame ga futte ita naa'' (, "It rained then, didn’t it...")
**→ ''Nda, antoki wa ame futtekkena'' ().

''ke'' (け) and ''ge'' (げ): inquiry

Sentence-ending particle used to indicate a question. Roughly equivalent to (''ka'') in standard Japanese. Usually pronounced as (''ge'') due to syllable voicing. Compared to ''ka'', ''ke'' tends to show more intimacy with the listener as well as being politer.

* ''Sore wa hontō na no ka''? (, "Is that really true?")
**→ ''Sore wa hontō na no ke / ge?'' ().
* ''Sō na no kai'' (, "I see")
**→''sokke'' () or ''sōge'' ().

Speakers also tend to omit some particles in conversation.

* ''Ame ga futte iru'' (, "It’s raining")
**→ ''Ame futteru'' ().
* ''Mizu o nomu'' (, "I drink water")
**→ ''Mizu nomu'' ().

Verb conjugation

The past-tense standard form of the auxiliary verb ''shimau'' (), ''shimatta'' (), becomes ''chitta'' () in the Ibaraki dialect. For example, ''yonde shimatta'' (, "I read it" (expressing regret)) becomes ''yonchitta'' (). Words with the prefix ''bu-'' (), usually used to indicate forceful emphasis (e.g., ''bukkowasu'' , "to completely destroy"), are sometimes merged with the verb to which they are attached (i.e., ''bukkowasu'' → ''bukkasu'' ), and then lose their original meaning.

Inflection of the irregular verb ''kuru'' (来る)

Polite speech

Polite speech is not generally used, especially towards third parties. Passive-form auxiliary verbs used to show politeness such as ''reru'' (), ''rareru'' (), ''serareru'' (), and ''saserareru'' () are rarely used, i.e., ''sensei ga korareru'' (, "teacher comes" (polite)) is simply said as ''sensei ga kuru'' (, "teacher comes"). Polite verbs such as ''nasaru'' (, "to do"), ''ni naru'' (, "to become, to be"), and ''kudasaru'' (, used for polite requests) are used, but often have different spoken forms, as shown in the following examples:

* ''O-machi kudasai (mase)'' (, "please wait").
**''→ Matte-kunro'' () or ''matte-kuncho'' ().
* ''O-tomari kudasai (mase)'' (, "please stay").
**''→ Tomari-na'' () or ''otomannansho'' ().
* ''O-agari kudasai (mase)'' (, "please eat").
**''→ Agarassho'' () or ''agarasse'' ().
* ''Mite kudasai (mase)'' (, "please look").
**''→ Mina'' (), ''minasse'' (), or ''mirassho'' ().
* ''Arukinasai (mase)'' (, "walk" (command)).
**''→ Arukasse'' ().

Notable words and phrases

* ''nandappe'' (, roughly "what is it?"). Rough equivalent with ''nandarō'' () in standard Japanese.
* ''suppe'' (, "let's do it"). Rough equivalent with ''shiyō'' ().
* ''iku be'' (, "let's go"). Equivalent with ''ikō'' ().
* ''gojappe'' (, roughly "nonsense"). Similar to ''detarame'' () in standard Japanese.
* ''deresuke'' (, "sloppy, careless man"). No exact equivalent in standard Japanese.
* ''ijiyakeru'' (, used to show frustration or anger).

References

{{Japanese language

Japanese dialects
Culture in Ibaraki Prefecture