The Kaga dialect (Japanese: å è³Âå¼ kaga ben) is a dialect of Japanese spoken in the southern half of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan.
The Kaga dialect is broadly divided into three regional dialects, which include:
According to Haruhiko Kindaichi, the pitch accent of Kaga dialects is considered to be intermediate between the Kyoto and Tokyo standards. Two-mora nouns like ka-ze (風 wind) are pronounced flat in both the Tokyo and Kyoto standards, but have a characteristic so-called kakà  (ä¸ÂéÂÂ) standard tone in Shiramine. When independent of any particles, the first mora is pronounced somewhat higher and the second mora falls slightly (indicated by <u>ãÂÂãÂÂ</u> in the table below). When a particle is attached, the second mora is higher and gently falls from the third mora onwards. Second- and third-class two-mora nouns like ya-ma (å±± mountain) are front-mora stressed and fourth- and fifth-class two-mora nouns like ka-sa (笠conical hat) are unaccented. In plain area, however, pitch accent changes depending on the type of vowel used. For example, in Daishoji, Kaga City, among first-, second- and third-class two-mora nouns, those with a close vowel (i, u) as their second mora are front-mora stressed and those with an open vowel (a, e, o) are final-mora stressed. Conversely, among those born in Showa Era Kanazawa, first-, second- and third-class two-mora nouns with a voiced consonant and close vowel (e.g. i-nu ç¬ dog) as their second mora are front-mora stressed and those with a consonant and open vowel (e.g. i-ke æ± pond) as their second mora are final-mora stressed. Among the generation born between (mainly) the Meiji Era and the mid-Taisho era, however, first-class nouns are all final-mora stressed, differentiating them from second- and third-class nouns. In Kanazawa, fourth- and fifth-class nouns are unaccented. This pitch accent system is also found in the former town of Imajà  in Fukui Prefecture.
The soft imperative -masshi (ãÂÂã¾ã£ãÂÂ) can be used in place of -nasai (ãÂÂãªãÂÂã do ~ ). This is considered an iconic Kanazawa dialect expression. It is a euphonically-changed form of the respect particle -masaru (ã¾ãÂÂãÂÂ)'s imperative form, -masare (ã¾ãÂÂãÂÂ). Although -masaru is now only heard among the older generation, -masshi continues to be comparatively well used even among the younger generation due to possessing a specific degree of 'softness' not found in other imperative forms in standard Japanese. Save for to the attributive form, -masshi formerly connected directly onto the dictionary form of Godan verbs (Example: ganbaru-masshi (é Âå¼µãÂÂã¾ã£ã do your best)). After World War II, however, this was influenced by the way -nasai connected to the -masu stem in standard Japanese, so that -masshi also came to connect to Godan verbs in the style of [-masu stem + masshi] (Example: ganbari-masshi (é Âå¼µãÂÂã¾ã£ãÂÂ)). Due to this generational change, some older speakers consider expressions like ganbari-masshi to be improper. The ending of -masshi can sometime change like in -masshi (i) ne (ãÂÂã¾ã£ãÂÂï¼ÂãÂÂï¼ÂãÂÂ) or -masshima (ãÂÂã¾ã£ãÂÂã¾), with the latter having a stronger nuance.
-ne (ãÂÂãÂÂ), -nema (ãÂÂãÂÂã¾), -(stem form), -ima (ãÂÂãÂÂã¾) and -iya (ã ãÂÂãÂÂ) are used in informal imperative expressions. For example:
In the case of ~shine, this means that the second portion of the dialectal equivalent of hayaku shinasai (æ©ãÂÂãÂÂãªãÂÂãÂÂã hurry up and do it), hayo <u>shine</u> (ã¯ãÂÂ<u>ãÂÂãÂÂ</u>), becomes a homophone with the second part of the vulgar hayaku <u>shine</u> (æ©ãÂÂ<u>æÂȋÂÂ</u> literally: <nowiki/>'hurry up and die ). In reality, however, the shine sound is avoided and hayo senkai ne (ã¯ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ) is more commonly said.
Equivalent to da yo (ã ãÂÂ) and no da (ã®ã ), respectively. Among those middle-aged and younger, the informal ganya (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ), gan (ãÂÂãÂÂ) and gà(ãÂÂã¼) are also spoken, with a further derivative of gÃÂ, gen (ãÂÂãÂÂ), being widely used among predominantly the younger generation. Gen is also widely used outside of Kanazawa in areas such as Komatsu. Gan and gen sometimes merge with the sound preceding them. For example:
Kanazawa-unique sentence-ending particles that express emphasis. Jii expresses feelings of unexpectedness or surprise, whilst wàexpresses feelings of pride. Although jii is still used among young people, wàis slightly negative nuance has led to its decline. Jii is considered to be a modified form of ze (ãÂÂ) whilst wàis thought to be a corruption of wai (ãÂÂãÂÂ) or e (ãÂÂ). For example:
Interrogative sentence-ending particle equivalent to kai (ãÂÂãÂÂ) in standard Japanese. Compared to ka (ãÂÂ), it displays greater intimacy and kindness, and is widely used by both sexes. Ke often experiences sokuon like in shitokke (ãÂÂã¨ã£ãÂÂ) (= -shite iru kai? (~ãÂÂã¦ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂï¼ are you doing ~ ?) and shite kurekke? (ãÂÂã¦ãÂÂãÂÂã£ãÂÂï¼Â) (= ~shite kureru kai? (ãÂÂãÂÂã¦ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂï¼ can you help me do ~?). In parts of the Kinki Region such as Kyoto and Osaka, ke is regarded as a rude, masculine expression, which can lead to misunderstandings between people from Kanazawa and these areas during conversation.
When interacting with customers in hanamachi districts, so-called âÂÂasobase language<nowiki/>' like in o-agari-asobase (ãÂÂä¸ÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã°ã please come in )) or irashite-oide-asobase (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã¦ãÂÂãÂÂã§ãÂÂãÂÂã°ãÂÂ) is widely used. Asobase is a phrase borrowed from the imperial court language of Kyoto and is a renowned expression of the traditional Kanazawa kotoba.
First-person pronoun (I ) used by men in Shiramine. When written in Kanji it becomes Ã¥ÂÂçÂÂ. Recently it has experienced euphony and is often pronounced as gyà(ãÂÂãÂÂã¼). As with the Fukui dialect, in Kuwajima District, it is said as ura (ãÂÂãÂÂ). Its plural forms are girara (ãÂÂãÂÂã we) and urara (ãÂÂãÂÂã also we), respectively.
Second person pronoun (you) used by men in Shiramine. Its e (ãÂÂ) is actually an intermediate sound between i and e. Its plural form is warra (ãÂÂã£ã you (guys)).
Equivalent to ohayo gozaimasu (ãÂÂã¯ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã¾ã good morning). The asai (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ) is a corruption of asameshi (æÂÂ飯 breakfast). The expression literally translates to asa-gohan wo o-tabe ni narimashita ka? (æÂÂãÂÂã¯ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂé£Âã¹ã«ãªãÂÂã¾ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ? have you eaten breakfast?).
Equivalent to konbanwa (ãÂÂãÂÂã°ãÂÂ㯠good evening). It literally means ban-gohan (no jikan) de-gozaimasu (æ©御飯ï¼Âã®æÂÂéÂÂï¼Âã§ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã¾ã itâÂÂs time for dinner).
Arigatà  (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã¨ã thank you). Corruption of yoku shita ne (è¯ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã you did well, didnâÂÂt you?). Other variants include yoshitai yo (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ) and yà Âsasshatta (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã£ãÂÂãÂÂã£ãÂÂ).
Equivalent toàso shiyà  (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ). Is typically said repeatedly (Hanja hanja (ã¯ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã¯ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ)).
Equivalent to sono toori da (ãÂÂã®éÂÂãÂÂã that's right) . Sà  da kedo (ãÂÂãÂÂã ãÂÂã© yes, but...) is shanja keto (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã£ã¨) and sà  da kara (ãÂÂãÂÂã ãÂÂã thatâÂÂs why...) is shanja-sakai (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ).
Equivalent to ~ne (ï½Âã sentence-ending particle used to denote agreement and/or add a softer, friendly tone). For example, ano nya- (ãÂÂã®ã«ãÂÂãÂÂï½ hey, so...). It is a distinctive Shiramine dialect feature and it has led to it sometimes being called the âÂÂnyÃÂ-nyàdialect' in Japanese.
-Shite iru (-ãÂÂã¦ãÂÂã is doing - ). Natte iru (ãªã£ã¦ãÂÂã is / has become) becomes nacchoru (ãªã£ã¡ãÂÂãÂÂ) in Shiramine.
Attaches to animal names. Is not used in Kumajima District. Inu (ãÂÂ㬠dog) = iri-me (ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ), neko (ãÂÂã cat) = nyoko-me (ã«ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ), hebi (ã¸ã³ snake) = hen-me (ã¸ãÂÂãÂÂ), kaeru (ãÂÂãÂÂã frog) = betto-me (ã¹ã£ã¨ãÂÂ), etc.