Kansai dialect

Kansai Japanese
関西弁
Native toJapan
RegionKansai
Language codes
ISO 639-3
Glottologkink1238
Kansai-dialect area
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A label in Kansai dialect. The advertisement, Iwashi o tabena akan!, translates as "You must eat sardines!"
A poster written in Kansai dialect. The warning, Chikan wa akan de. Zettai akan de, translates as "Groping is out. Absolutely out."
A caution written in Kansai dialect. The warning, Kii tsuke yā, Anta no koto ya de, Sono baggu, translates as "Take care! Do not let your bag get snatched!"

The Kansai dialect (関西弁, Kansai-ben, also known as Kansai-hōgen (関西方言)) is a group of Japanese dialects in the Kansai region (Kinki region) of Japan. In Japanese, Kansai-ben is the common name and it is called Kinki dialect (近畿方言, Kinki-hōgen) in technical terms. The dialects of Kyoto and Osaka are known as Kamigata dialect (上方言葉, Kamigata kotoba, or Kamigata-go (上方語)), and were particularly referred to as such in the Edo period. The Kansai dialect is typified by the speech of Osaka, the major city of Kansai, which is referred to specifically as Osaka-ben. It is characterized as being both more melodic and harsher by speakers of the standard language.[1]

  1. ^ Omusubi: Japan's Regional Diversity Archived 2006-12-14 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved January 23, 2007