Roman saw my video on Hiroshimaben and asked me this:

"Can you expand a little more on "聞く becomes 聞いとる, 歩く becomes 歩きょる", or at least provide more examples? In standard Japanese, the rule that applies to these two words is the same: "ku" in the end becomes "ite[i]ru", in 100% of the words. Looks like it's not the case for Hiroshima dialect: the words both end the same, yet they change differently. "

To me, they sound almost the same in meaning. My guess is that ARUKYORU means "is walking" and ARUITORU means ... hmm, it sounds the same to me, but maybe arukyoru feels like really happening, more so than aruitoru somehow.

let me give you examples.

来る(kuru=come) -> Kyoru きょーる and kitoru きとる (but the latter sounds like "(he is) here" as opposed to "(he is) coming." Strange. Kyoru definitely means ("is coming").

歌う(utau=sing) --> Utayoru うたよーる and Utottoru うたっとる

書く(kaku=write)--> Kakyoru かきょーる and Kaitoru かいとる

読む(yomu=read) --> yomyoru よみょーるand yondoru よんどる

話す (hanasu=speak) --> Hanashoru はなしょーる and hanashitoru はなしとる

This was the video:

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2 thoughts on “Response to a Hiroshimaben question

  1. Roman says:

    Hi. Thank you for writing a response.

    I've since found that wikipedia gives a different and very specific answer: "In addition, Chūgoku dialect uses -yoru in progressive aspect and -toru or -choru in perfect. For example, Tarō wa benkyō shiyoru (太郎は勉強しよる) means "Taro is studying", and Tarō wa benkyō shitoru (太郎は勉強しとる) means "Taro has studied" while standard Japanese speakers say Tarō wa benkyō shiteiru (太郎は勉強している) in both situations." (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%ABgoku_dialect)

    What is your opinion on the wikipedia's answer?

    1. Kaz says:

      I don't think this description is accurate. First of all, 勉強しよる is more like sho~ru. 勉強しとる also is "studying."

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