Tochigi Dialect

The Tochigi dialect (Japanese: 栃木弁 ''Tochigi-ben'') is a Japanese dialect spoken in Tochigi prefecture. It is classified along with the Ibaraki dialect as an East Kanto dialect, but due to possessing various shared phonological and grammatical features with the neighbouring Fukushima dialect to the north, many scholars consider it instead as part of the wider Tohoku dialect. It has notable differences within the prefecture depending on region, and in some parts of the southwest of the prefecture (including the cities of Ashikaga and Sano) a separate dialect, the Ashikaga dialect, is spoken.

Phonology

The following are some of the most distinct phonetic characteristics of the dialect.

* Excluding the area around Ashikaga City, pitch accent is notably absent from virtually all regions in Tochigi. Rising intonation is also commonly heard.
* There is a reduced distinction between い''i'' and え''e'' sounds. For example, ''iro-enpitsu'' (いろえんぴつ ''coloured pencil'' ) may become either ''iro-inpitsu'' (いろいんぴつ)、''ero-inpitsu'' (えろいんぴつ) or ''ero-enpitsu'' (えろえんぴつ).
* When located between two vowel sounds, ''k-'', ''t-'' and ''ch''- sounds become voiced (''k →'' ''g, t →'' ''d'' and ''ch →'' ''j'' (shown in the following table)). Voicing does not occur when the sounds follow a small っ ''tsu'' or ん''n'', or when the surrounding vowels are unvoiced.

* When located between a vowel and an unvoiced consonant, じ''ji,'' ず''zu,'' び''bi'' and ぶ''bu'' sounds become unvoiced.
* Certain contracted sounds lose their contracted element. For example, ぎゅ''gyu'' ''→'' ぎ''gi'' and しゅ''shu →'' し''shi''. Additionally, the sound ゆ''yu'' can become い''i'' or え''e''. For example, ''yuki'' (ゆき ''snow'' )''→'' ''iki'' (いき), ''yubi'' (ゆび ''finger'' )''→ ibi'' (いび) or ''ebi'' (えび), although elderly speakers in Haga District pronounce ''yu'' as り''ri'' instead

Grammar

The following are some of the most distinct grammatical characteristics of the dialect.

* う''u'' verbs ending with -あう-''au'' lose their ''u'' sound. For example, ''kau'' (かう ''to buy'' ) ''→'' ''ka'' (か).
* Predominantly in the north of the prefecture, the verb ''shinu'' (しぬ ''to die'' ) can become ''shigu'' (しぐ) or ''shimu'' (しむ). Although ''shimu'' is sometimes heard in the south of the prefecture, ''shigu'' is absent.
* In regions north of Tochigi City and Ōyama City, the directional particle さ''sa'' can be used (equivalent to に''ni'' or へ''he'' is standard Japanese). In the south of the prefecture, the particle げ''ge'' can be used to show the target of an action (を''wo'' in standard Japanese).
* There is a tendency to insert small っ''tsu'' sounds between free-standing and ancillary words.
* Politeness is very rarely shown through changing of word form, but rather with gestures, behaviour and nuance in the use of language. Although it is generally uncommon for speakers to use set polite expressions in eastern Japanese dialects (although some like the Tōkyō, Morioka and Sendai dialects have developed their own), in Tochigi and Ibaraki this tendency is even more striking.

References

{{Japanese language

Japanese language
Japanese dialects