Nairiku dialect


The Nairiku dialect is a Japanese dialect spoken in the eastern half of Yamagata Prefecture. It belongs to the Southern Tohoku dialect group.

Sub-divisions

Yamagata Prefecture dialects are broadly divided into the Shonai and Nairiku branches. Although both are Tohoku dialects, the Shonai variety belongs to the Northern Tohoku dialect group, which possesses distinct differences to the Southern Tohoku dialect group to which the Nairiku dialect belongs. Whilst the Shonai dialect is found in the west of the prefecture, the Nairiku dialect occupies the inland east. The Nairiku dialect can be further divided into the Mogami dialect of the Mogami Region, the Murayama dialect of the Murayama Region and the Okitama dialect of the Okitama Region.
◆ Nairiku dialect
  • Mogami dialect
  • * ▷ Mogami town dialect
  • Murayama dialect
  • * ▷ Kasumi town dialect†
  • Okitama dialect
The cause of the differences between these four areas is thought to be geographical separation and the prior existence of independent domains in the Early Modern Period. Of these regions, the Mogami dialect most notably has influences from the Shonai and Akita dialects. Despite this, within the Mogami Region, the town of Mogami historically had little interaction with the Shinjo area, and compounded by its closer connection to the Murayama Region, it forms an irregular dialect division. Additionally, in the town of Kasumi, Yamagata City, the unique so-called ‘Kasumi town dialect’ was formerly used.

Grammar

Inflection

Na-adjectives
From Shounai to northern Mogami, the attributive form of na-adjectives is -da, making it the same as the plain form. This is a phenomenon that is widely seen in Northern Tohoku dialects. From southwest Mogami to Murayama and Okitama, it is the same as standard Japanese.
Hypothetical form
For the hypothetical form, in addition to the same form as standard Japanese, the forms -taraba, -tareba, -gontara and -gottara are also used. For the hypothetical form of i-adjectives, -keba as well as -tara, -kondara and -kottara are used. For the hypothetical form the copula -da, -dara and -dagontara are used.