Nagoya dialect
(Nagoya-ben)
There were 4 types of Nagoya dialect as follows.
| 1 | Uwamachi kotoba (Uwamachi speech) |
Elegant and soft-spoken speech. Used by the ladies of marchant family who lived in a specific area, from around Nagoya Castle area to Chojamachi area. |
*Yattokame-de gozarimasuru-namo. (I haven't seen you for long time) |
| 2 | Buke-Kotoba (Samurai speech) |
Some expressions are still used | *Goburei shimasu (Excuse me./ Good bye) *Goranzeyo (look !) |
| 3 | Shitamachi kotoba (Shitamachi speech) |
A little bit strong and dirty impression. Nagoya people usually speak Shitamachi-kotoba. |
*Iko-myaa (Let's go ! ) *Dera-uma [Kirin Beer's Nagoya Version] (Very tasty) |
| 4 | Karyuu kotoba (geisha speech) |
Today, Geisha in Nagoya are trying to keep it. | *Ano-emo, Yatte-miyasen-ka. (Well, why don't you try it ?) |
Today, most of the Japanese think that Nagoya dialect is not cool to speak.
However, we have had a very nice Nagoya-ben before.
Uwakachi-kotoba Nagoya dialect was one of the three beautiful Japanese
dialects with
Kyo-kotoba (spoken by maiko and geiko in kyoto) and Semba-kotoba (spoken
by ladies of marchant family in Semba, Osaka.),
though nobody speaks proper Uwamachi-kotoba now.
