Tokyo ben and Kansai ben – Japanese has many local dialects

Japanese has many local dialects. The two dialects with the largest number of speakers argon the easterly and western dialects. The eastern dialect is called Tokyo ben which is equivalent to standard Japanese and the western dialect is called Kansai ben which is speak in western Japan such as Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. There are four main dissimilaritys among Tokyo ben and Kansai ben affecting vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation and grammar. The first difference is vocabulary. Different dialects use different words for the uniform things.For example, arigato(thank you) is used in Tokyo ben while maido ookini(thank you) is used in Kansai ben instead (Rie-Higuchi,2002). The easterners say yano-assatte(the day afterwards tomorrow), shoppai(salty) and -nai(not) whereas the westerners use shi-asatte (the day after tomorrow), ka-rai(salty) and -n or -nu (not) (Shibatani,2002). The certify difference between two dialects is spelling. The numbers of syllables go down in Kansai ben.Many wo rds in Tokyo ben are shorten when are used in Kansai ben. For example, he word yoku(very well) in Tokyo ben become yo(very well) in Kansai ben(Shibatani, 2002). Omoshiroi (interesting) is spelled in Tokyo ben while Kansai ben spells omoroi(interesting) ( Shibatani,2002). The closely obvious difference between two dialects is pronunciation. Tokyo ben has such features as z, chi and ku are pronounced like j and gu in Kasai ben. For example, 0 (zero) is changed into dero or jero( Long,2002). 1(ichi) is pronounced as iji (Long,2002). 6(roku) is pronounced rogu in Kasai ben(Long,2002).Moreover, the first syllable is more emphasized in Tokyo ben while the second syllable is more carefully pronounced in Kasai ben. For example, tabako is pronounced like tabako in Kansai ben (Shibatani,2002). It is the same as in the case of the name of a person. Mr. Tekeda is pronounced in Tokyo ben while Kansai ben pronounces as Mr. Tekeda(Shibatani,2002). The last difference includes grammar which is c oncerned with the particle. The particle -su is omitted from verbs in Kansai ben. Therefore, masu ka in Tokyo ben (standard Japanese) ecome makka and desu ka become dekka in Kansai ben. For example, the verb tabemasu ka(eat) in Tokyo ben is changed into tabemakka(eat) in Kansai ben(Shibatani,2002).Also, nan desu ka(whats it? ) become nan dekka(whats it? ) in Kansai ben(Shibatani,2002). Furthermore, the particle da, which is thought to function as the verb to be or to do, is replaced by particle ya in Kansai ben. For example, uso da(youre kidding) in Tokyo ben is replaced by uso ya and So dattara(if its true) is changed into So yattara(if its true) in Kansai ben(Palter,2002).