Communication Tips Nagoya Dialect Nagoya Features

Nagoya Dialect

It is pretty well-known that Japanese people cannot differentiate and clearly pronounce the letters of "l" and "r."  Although Japanese new-born babies are said to have the ability to detect these differences, they lose such innate skills as they get exposed to Japanese pronunciation systems, which do not require that distinction.

Nana Chan Standing at Nagoya Station

The sound of "a" as in "apple" is also one of these letters that Japanese people find difficult to pronounce.  However, Nagoyans should be able to clearly pronounce that sound because Nagoya dialect features that sound. 

Have you ever heard Nagoyans speak Nagoya dialect before?  Here is a small lecture.

"Yaromya" and "doerya" are commonly-used terms among Nagoyans and have the "a" sound in the parts of "mya" and "rya." "yaromya" means "let's do it" in English. "doerya" means "very" in English or "cho" in colloquial Japanese.  The latter word "cho" is widely-accepted and used Japanese, especially among young people.

For example, an informal but usual expression of "cho oishii"(English: very delicious) is spoken "doerya umya" in Nagoya dialect ("umya" is another meaning delicious in English).  

Nagoyans would love you when they hear you using these expressions. However, you have to get mentally prepared for unfair judgment by people, especially Tokyoites.
Nagoya dialects might sound less sophisticated.... judged by Tokyoites or probably even those in other parts of Japan.

One famous TV personality repeatedly made fun of Nagoyan pronunciation saying it sounds like cats.  The personality criticized Nagoyans for making disturbing "miaw miaw" sounds.  Since then, Nagoya dialect has been unfairly labeled as less sophisticated.  It is really unfair!  Nothing is wrong with carrying local features, right?

Nagoyans should fight back to this unfair criticism because this SURELY indicates that they can pronounce English, or at least the pronunciation of the "a" sound as in apple, more clearly than people in any other part of Japan, right?  What do you think?

A short and cool lesson of Nagoya Dialect is provided in Doeryaa Nagoyan Lesson.