Gangwon dialect


The Gangwon dialect is spoken in South Korea's Gangwon [Province, South Korea|Gangwon Province] and in North Korea's Kangwŏn Province. Although they are large provinces by area, relatively few people lived in the Gangwon Province. As a result, people living in the western side of Gangwon did not develop a highly distinctive dialect. However, the part of Gangwon that stretches along the eastern coast of Korea's Yeongdong region did develop a distinctive dialect. This is because the Taebaek Mountains bisect the Gangwon Province, and the people living eastern Gangwon were therefore isolated.
Distinguishing features of the Gangwon dialect:
  1. ㅆ is pronounced as ㅅ.
  2. The standard 아 sound is changed to 어 at the end of sentences.
  3. Questions may end in 나, -노, -고, -가.