Chikuzen Dialect

The Chikuzen dialect (Japanese: 筑前方言 ''chikuzen hogen'') is a Japanese dialect spoken in western Fukuoka Prefecture in an area corresponding to the former Chikuzen Province. It is classified as a Hichiku dialect of the wider Kyushu dialect of Japanese, although the eastern part of the accepted dialect area has more similarities with the Buzen dialect, and the Asakura District in the south bears a stronger resemblance to the Chikugo dialect. The Chikuzen dialect is considered the wider dialect to which the Hakata dialect, the Fukuoka dialect and the Munakata dialect belong.

Phonology

The perfective aspect, commonly -''yoru'' (-よる) in West Japanese and Kyushu dialects, is often said as -''yo''- (-よう) in the Chikuzen dialect. For example, ''ikiyoru'' (行きよる, ''I am here'') becomes ''ikiyou'' (行きよう). Similarly, the progressive aspect, -''toru'' (-とる), becomes ''-tou'' (-とう). E.g. ''ittoru'' (行っとる, ''I am going'') becomes ''ittoo'' (行っとう). The sounds ''se'' (せ) and ''ze'' (ぜ) are pronounced as ''she'' (しぇ) and ''je'' (じぇ), whilst among western dialect speakers, the sounds ''da'' (だ), ''de'' (で) and ''do'' (ど) change to ''ra'' (ら), ''re'' (れ) and ''ro'' (ろ), respectively. For example, ''tetsudou'' (鉄道, ''railway'') becomes ''tetsurou'' and ''sudare'' (簾, ''sushi mat'') becomes ''surare''. In the southwest of the dialect area, ''ri'' (り) is sometimes pronounced as ''dzi'' (ぢ).

Pitch accent

The Chikuzen dialect possesses a variation of the Tokyo-standard pitch accent. There are notable changes to the pitch accent of two-mora nouns (e.g., ''sora'' (空'', sky'')) across Chikuzen, with the specific changes depending on region. Across most of the Chikuzen dialect area, two-mora nouns with a wide vowel (aka. ''a'' (あ), ''e'' (え), ''o'' (お)) as their first mora and a narrow vowel (aka. ''i'' (い), ''u'' (う)) as their second mora become front-mora stressed. In certain areas, including Hakata Ward in Fukuoka City and the district of Kasuya, two-mora nouns may be front-mora stressed when only a narrow vowel is present at the second mora. Two-mora nouns without these particular attributes are stressed on their final mora (as opposed to flat in standard Japanese). There is also a tendency, particularly among the younger generation, to stress words differently when they appear within a sentence as opposed to in isolation. Most notably, the question-marking particle ''to'' (と) causes the entire preceding sentence to become flat and possess a higher intonation. In contrast, in the southern parts of the dialect area, where there is greater proximity to the Chikugo region, differentiating between words’ different pitch accents becomes murkier, with traits of non-accent being found. The table below shows some differences and similarities in pitch accent between Fukuoka City, Oita Prefecture, the Buzen region and Tokyo for two-mora nouns with the nominative case-making particle ''ga'' (が) attached.

Grammar

Conjugation of verbs and ''i''-adjectives

The dialect retains Nidan conjugation for certain verbs as well as irregular conjugation of ''n''-ending verbs. For example, the plain form of the ''n''-ending verb ''shinu'' (死ぬ, ''to die'') becomes ''shinuru'' (死ぬる). Ichidan and Nidan verbs are often conjugated in a fashion identical to that of ''r''-ending Godan verbs. This is especially true for the imperative form, which changes from the typical -''ro'' (-ろ) ending to -''re'' (-れ). E.g., ''okiro'' (起きろ, ''wake up'') becomes ''okire'' (起きれ). A softer imperative form that derives from the -''masu'' (-ます) stem, e.g., ''kakii'' (書きい) and ''taberii'' (食べりい), is also used. Like other Kyushu dialects, the -''masu'' (-ます) stem of certain Godan verbs experiences euphony (change). Namely, those ending in ''-su'' (-す) - which become ''i-'' (い-) as opposed to ''shi''- (し-) - and those ending in -''u'' (-う), -''mu'' (-む) and -''bu'' (-ぶ) – all of which become ''u''- (う-) as opposed to ''i''- (い-), ''mi''- (み-) and ''bi''- (び-), respectively.

There are several notable differences in ''i''-adjective conjugation between the Chikuzen dialect and standard Japanese. The plain and attributive form ending, usually -''i'' (-い), becomes -ka (-か) in the western and southern parts of the dialect area. For example, ''hayai'' (早い ''early'') is said as ''hayaka'' (早か). In the eastern part of the Chikuzen region, the standard ''i''-ending is used, save for in ''yoi'' (良い, ''good''), which is said ''yoka'' (よか). The conjunctive form loses its ''ku''- (く-) to simply become ''u''- (う-), like in ''younaka'' (ようなか) (''yokunai'' (良くない, ''is not good'') and ''ureshuunaru'' (うれしゅうなる) (''ureshikunaru'' (嬉しくなる'', to become happy'') 8 The continuative form (-''kute'' (-くて, ''…and…'')) can be either -''ute'' (-うて) or ''-ushite'' (-うして). For example, ''youte'' (ようて) and ''youshite'' (ようして) (both ''yokute'' (良くて, ''good and…''). In the western and southern parts of the dialect area, -''sa'' (-さ) is attached to the adjective stem to express exclamation.

Bound auxiliaries

Copula and negative form

Variations of ''ja'' (じゃ) and ''ya'' (や) are used as copulas in the Chikuzen dialect. Historically, ''ja'' was used exclusively, whilst ''ya'' later proliferated due to usage by younger speakers. The various copulas include ''jan'' (じゃん), ''yan'' (やん), ''yaga'' (やが), ''bai'' (ばい) and ''tai'' (たい). Conversely, the copula may also be omitted entirely. The conjectural form (''darou'' (だ)) in standard Japanese) is ''jarou'' (じゃろう) or ''yarou'' (やろう), whilst the past tense (''datta'' (だった, ''was'') in standard Japanese) is ''jatta'' (じゃった) or ''yatta'' (やった). For the negative form of verbs, the formula ''nai'' (-ない) stem + ''n'' (ん)is used. Among older speakers, the past tense negative formula ''nai'' stem + ''njatta'' (んじゃった)is used, like in ''ikanjatta'' (行かんじゃった'', did not go''), whereas younger speakers prefer ''nai'' stem + ''nyatta'' (んやった) / ''nkatta'' (んかった) e.g., ''ikanyatta'' (行かんやった), ''ikankatta'' (行かんかった).

Progressive and perfect aspects

Like Western Japanese and other Kyushu dialects and unlike Eastern Japanese dialects (including standard Japanese), there is a distinction between the progressive aspect and perfect aspect in the Chikuzen dialect. -''Yoru'' (-よる) or -''you'' (-よう) is used for the progressive aspect, whilst ''-toru'' (-とる) or ''-tou'' (-とう) is used for the perfective aspect. In the Chikuhou region, -''choru'' (-ちょる) or -''chou'' (-ちょう) may also be used for the perfective aspect.

Potential form and hearsay

The Chikuzen dialect makes a distinction between situational potential (e.g., ''when am really tired, I can sleep on the floor'') and the potential of someone or something to do something (e.g., ''I can sleep on the floor''). For the former, -''ruru'' (-るる) or -''raruru'' (-らるる) are attached to the -''masu'' stem of a verb, whilst for the latter -''kiru'' (-きる) is attached instead. The bound auxiliaries ''gotoaru'' (ごとある) and ''gotaru'' (ごたる) are used with the same meaning as ''you'' (''da'') (よう(だ''), like/seeming to be''), and ''gena'' (げな) is used to express hearsay.

Polite speech

There are several bound auxiliary words used to express politeness in the Chikuzen dialect. -''sharu'' (-しゃる) and -''rassharu'' (-らっしゃる) are used after the -''nai'' stem of verbs to add politeness, a trait also found in the Chikugo dialect. A word unique to the Chikuzen dialect, -''nsharu'' (-んしゃる), attaches to the -''masu'' stem of verbs and contains a nuance of familiarity or closeness with the listener. Below are some examples of polite speech in the Chikuzen dialect.

* ''Ikassharu'' (行かっしゃる, ''go'').
* ''Taberassharu'' (食べらっしゃる, ''eat'').
* ''Ikinshatta'' (行きんしゃった, ''went'').

The highly polite ''nasaru'' (なさる) and less polite ''naru'' (なる) are both used, with ''nsaru'' (んさる) being found in the Munakata District. Aside from the standard polite conjugation of ''nasaru'' (i.e., ''nasaimasu'' (なさいます)), there are a variety of forms derived from the attaching of -''masu'', including: ''nasasu'' (なさす), ''nasu'' (なす) and ''nazasu'' (なざす). For the progressive and perfect aspects, -''tearu'' (-てある) is used. -''Tearu'' can also be contracted to a less polite variation, -''charu'' (-ちゃる). Below is an example sentence using -''tearu''.

* ''Shenshee'', ''nanba'' ''shitearu'' ''to'' ''desu'' ''ka''? (しぇんしぇー、なんばしてあるとですか? ''What are you doing sir'' (to a teacher) (polite)) compared to ''sensei'', ''nani wo nasatteiru no desu ka''? (先生、何をなさっているのですか?) in standard Japanese.

''Gozaru'' (ござる) is used as a highly polite form of ''iru'' (いる) and ''kuru'' (来る) and as a bound auxiliary, whilst -''tsukaasai'' (-つかあさい, ''please do…'') is used as an equivalent to -''te'' ''kudasai'' (-てください). ''Gozasu'' (ござす) is used alongside ''desu'' (です) and -''masu'' as a polite bound auxiliary, and all forms may have geminate consonant (small ''tsu'' (っ)) insertion, for example -''massen'' (-まっせん) as opposed to -''masen'' (-ません), -''gozassen'' (ござっせん) as opposed to -''gozasen'' (-ござせん) and ''desshou'' (でっしょう) as opposed to ''deshou'' (でしょう). In some areas, such as Fukuoka City and Itoshima, two additional polite bound auxiliaries, -''dasu'' (-だす) and -''rasu'' (-らす), are also used.

Particles

Case-marking and adverbial particles

In the western and southern parts of the dialect area, ''no'' (の) is used as a nominative case-marking particle (''ga'' (が) in standard Japanese). ''Ga'' is also used, but with a slightly distinct meaning. ''No'' contains a nuance of respectfulness towards the person being discussed, whilst ''ga'' is used for either expressing a degree of self-abasement or humility, or for more clearly emphasising who or what is being discussed. In the eastern part of the dialect area, only ''ga'' is used.

Other notable particles include:

* ''To'' (と) and ''tsu'' (つ) - Used as equivalents to the question-marking particle ''no'' (の). ''Tsu'' is found exclusively in the western dialect area.
* ''Ba'' (ば) – Equivalent to the accusative case-marking particle ''wo'' (を). Used predominantly in western and southern areas.
* ''Sai'' (さい), ''sae'' (さえ), ''ni'' (に) and ''i'' (い) – All used to indicate direction (''ni'' (に) in standard Japanese).
* ''Ni'' (に) and ge (げ) – Both used to indicate the target of an action (just ''ni'' in standard Japanese). For example, ''mi ni iku'' (見に行く, ''to go and see'') à ''mi ge iku'' (見げ行く).

Conjunctive, sentence-ending and interjectory particles

Western and southern dialect speakers use ''ken'' (けん) in place of ''kara'' (から, ''because''/''so''), and ''kenga'' (けんが) for emphasis. In the Chikuho area, ''ki'' (き) may be used instead. ''Batten'' (ばってん) and ''batte'' (ばって) are used as equivalents to the contrastive conjunction ''keredomo'' (けれども, ''but''/''although''), whilst ''taccha(a)'' (たっちゃ(あ)) functions as a contrastive and hypothetical particle. The particles ''bai'' (ばい)and ''tai'' (たい), shared among all Hichiku dialects, can be used in place of ''ja'' or ''ya'' as copulas. ''Tai'' is used for self-evident or objectively true statements, whilst ''bai'' contains a subjective nuance and is often used to express one’s own thoughts, as well as to share information previously unknown to the listener. The sentence-ending particle ''na'' (な) is often elongated to ''naa'' (なぁ) or is sometimes said as ''nee'' (ねぇ). Another sentence-ending particle, ''ga'' (が), is added to express an element of persuasiveness or insistence, whilst the particle ''kusa'' (くさ) can be used as both a sentence-ender and interjectory.

References

{{Japanese language

Culture in Fukuoka Prefecture
Japanese dialects