Nagoya Dialect - Phonology

Phonology

Nagoya dialect has peculiarity diphthongs; and change ( or in some areas), changes or, and changes or . In recent years, these diphthongs are hardly used by young people, but is very famous as a characteristic of Nagoya dialect in Japan. It is widely imitated to represent stereotypical Nagoya speakers, and often becomes a target of joke with Nagoya people about their dialect such as "Nagoya people speak as cat" (a play on words with or and "meow"). A Japanese comedian Tamori once joked about Nagoya dialect such as ebifuryaa (incorrect Nagoya form of ebifurai or "fried prawn") and made Nagoya people angry.

ex. doerai umai ("very yummy") > > ; ja nai ka? ("isn't it?") > ; omae ("you") >

Pitch accent of Nagoya dialect is close to standard Tokyo accent, but tends to shift the start of high pitch. For example, Nagoya-ben is pronounced as Low-High-High-High-High in Tokyo, and Low-Low-High-High-High in Nagoya. Some words have different downsteps between Nagoya and Tokyo. For example, Nagoya is pronounced as High-Low-Low in Tokyo, and Low-Low-High in Nagoya; arigato ("thanks") is pronounced as Low-High-Low-Low in Tokyo, and Low-Low-High-Low in Nagoya; itsumo ("always") is pronounced as High-Low-Low in Tokyo, and Low-High-Low in Nagoya. Interrogative words such as nani ("what") and dore ("which") have an accent on first mora in Tokyo, and accentless in Nagoya. Demonstratives (except do-) such as kore ("this") and sore ("it") are accentless in Tokyo, and have an accent on last mora in Nagoya.