Kansai

Dialect

The dialects of the people of the Kansai region have their own variations of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar which are unique to the region. Kansai-ben is a term referring to the group of dialects spoken in Kansai. This dialect is especially strong in cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Otsu. The Kansai-ben group of dialects can be further subdivided into recognizable dialects such as Osaka-ben and Kyoto-ben.

Related Topics:
Dialects - Otsu

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Some Japanese consider the tone of Kansai-ben to be uncomfortably stern or direct, and that it sounds menacing, and almost angry. On the other hand, there are many famous Japanese comedians from Kansai, presumably because some Japanese find their way of talking to be very funny, even when talking about serious things. To describe the role of Kansai-ben in the Japanese-speaking world, some US English speakers consider it useful to draw analogies between Kansai-ben and English-language accents known for being extremely frank, lively, or sarcastic, such as dialects typically associated with Boston, Brooklyn, or New Jersey.

Related Topics:
Comedian - Boston - Brooklyn - New Jersey

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