Let’s enjoy Koushuben (Yamanashi dialect) vol.1


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photo: Mt.Fuji from Lake Yamanakako (Nagaike area)

Since Mt.Fuji was officially registered as a World Heritage site on June 26, 2013, lots of foreign travelers have been visiting Yamanshi prefecture and Mt.Fuji. According to report from Yamanashi-prefecture official, numbers of foreign visitors to Yamanashi prefecture gained 34.5% in 2014 comparing to 2013.

Koshuben is a dialect spoken in Yamanashi-prefecture. There are some differences in the area of Kofu (prefecture capital city) and Fujigoko area (near Mt.Fuji). More about Yamanashi prefecture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamanashi_Prefecture

yamanashi

source: wikipedia

Some visitors may speak fluent Japanese and have noticed Yamanashi dialect or confused by what Yamanashi people are saying. So, I will introduce Koshuben(Yamanashi-prefecture dialect) on this blog with linguistic point of views, and I hope it will be helpful for the visitors who are planning to travel to Yamanashi-prefecture.

This first Yamanashi dialect is “to come/go to get it or pick up”

To pick up (To go/come to pick up)

standard: 取りに行く/来る(Tori ni iku/kuru)

Yamanashi dialect: 持ちに行く/来る (mochi ni iku/kuru)

In standard Japanese, “to go/come  pick up” is translated into

“tori (pick up) ni (particle direction + purpose) iku(go)/kuru(come)”

but in Yamanashi dialect

“mochi (carry) ni (particle direction + purpose) iku(go)/kuru(come)”

I think this dialect can be understood, but sounds very strange for the non-Yamanashi dialect speakers. However, “Toru(dictionary form of /tor/)” means “to pick up” and also “take (a photo)”. If you are in a situation asked “where is your pictures?” (you forgot to bring), then you would say “Sorry, I will get it from home”. In standard Japanese, “Tori ni iku” would be used, but in this context, the hearer might get confused because you are saying “go to get it from somewhere or go to take a photo”. In Yamanashi dialect, “mochi ni iku” causes no confusion to hearer that you mean “go to get it from somewhere”.

Grammar Tips : Vdict /N + に(Ni /ni/ or /ini/) + 行く(Iku go)/来る(Kuru come)

To go/come to do V/N : go/come in order to do V or N.

ご飯を食べに行きます。

food eat go

Go to eat food.

America ni iku.
go
Go to America.

Toshokan ni kita.
library came
Came to library

Toshikan ni honwo kaes-ini kita.
library book return came
Came to library in order to return books.

Enjoy Koshuben (Yamanashi dialect)!!!