Kansai Dialect 関西弁 Part ONE

One of my earlier recollections of my father was of him speaking in Kansai Dialect (関西弁). Because we lived in Australia then and speaking any language other than English was so not cool, I had always thought that my father either had a strange accent or was just such an oyaji.

This was not until years later when I lived in Osaka that I had fallen in love with Kansai Dialect (関西弁).  By then, my father did not live with us anymore but I kinda miss the way he spoke and now appreciate it.

So while I never properly learnt Japanese grammar during my time in Japan, I spoke bits and drabs of Kansai Dialect (関西弁). I always used the following forms:

• へん　to mean ない; so for example: できへん、見へん、行かへん
• Sometimes the above would be contracted to できん、行かん
• やん　to mean　じゃん
• メッチャ　= very
• シンドイ= tired
• ちゃうねん = that's wrong or different
• あかん = no or だめ 

It wasn't until quite recent that my Japanese tutor started laughing at my Japanese. She didnt know that I had lived in Kansai. I think the intonation plays a big part as well. The stress on syllables is definitely different. 

I really like this We Love Kansai Blog which has bits on Kansai Dialect so please visit their site.

My then-boyfriend (a proud Kansai boy) used to ask me to pronouce, " 雨". Apparently, my rising intonation indicated that I had indeed caught on the Kansai intonation.