Do you ever encounter regional dialects in your daily life?

When you look at a manual, you’ll find that almost everything is written in standard Japanese. However, dialects possess a unique warmth and charm that is specific to their region. The distinct vocabulary and accents of each area play a role in deepening bonds between people, making listeners feel a sense of familiarity. Dialects also reflect the local culture and history, allowing one to get a sense of the region's climate and the lives of its people. The warmth of a dialect can bring back memories of one's hometown, bringing peace to the heart.
But you don’t see dialects used in typical manuals, do you?Why is that? We asked our own manual production team here at YAMAGATA to find out. In simple terms, their answer was: "An instruction manual is a critical document for conveying the correct way to use a product, so by using the standard language, we can standardize the content and ensure that no one is led to misunderstanding or confusion, no matter who reads it."

So, Are Dialects a Bad Thing?

Here at YAMAGATA, we also do video production work. This story comes from a time when we were working on editing a promotional video for an overseas audience. The production staff member diligently used a translation app to create the English subtitles. When the video was finished, they showed it to a colleague who had extensive experience living abroad. The colleague tilted their head and said: "Which region is this video for? I can sort of get the meaning, but it uses some expressions that would be difficult for locals to understand."

This was an episode that made me think: within the broad definition of media that conveys things and ideas to people, shouldn't we consider choosing a dialect based on the TPO (Time, Place, and Occasion)?

What Are Dialects, Anyway?

A dialect refers to a unique form of a language or a way of using words that is specific to a particular region or social group within a language. Dialects are typically formed by geographical factors, historical backgrounds, and social attributes. Japan has a wide variety of dialects. While there are various theories, according to the "Dialect Partition Theory," which classifies Japanese dialects by region, there are said to be 16 types.

Reference Site (Japanese): How many dialects are there in Japan? Dialects are interesting! What's the difference between "hōgen," "namari," and "maru-maru-ben"?

Dialects have many advantages. Speakers of the same dialect can communicate smoothly, and within that region, they can express things concisely. Another major benefit is the sense of familiarity they can create.

Does Food Have Dialects, Too?

Did you know that regional character is also reflected in how we refer to ingredients? Here are a few examples.

Eggplant: Many people in eastern Japan say nasu, while in western Japan, they say nasubi.
Dried Sardines: In western Japan, these are often called iriko.
Chicken: In parts of the Chubu region, Kansai, and Kyushu, it's called kashiwa or kashiwa-niku.

Isn't it interesting that the same ingredient has different names depending on the region? Conversely, there are also cases where a single name can reflect the unique character of different regions. Take ozōni, the special soup eaten for New Year's. While the name ozōni is the same everywhere, there are countless variations depending on the region and household, with the flavors and ingredients reflecting local culture and customs. Just looking at the mochi (rice cakes), you can see differences: western Japan uses round mochi, while eastern Japan uses square mochi.

I'm from Kagawa Prefecture, and at my family's home, our ozōni is made with a white miso base, has daikon radish and carrots, and uses round mochi… that is filled with sweet red bean paste (anko). People are often shocked when I mention putting sweet red bean paste in ozōni, but it's actually quite common in Kagawa, so if you ever have the chance, please give it a try!

Do You Understand Sanuki-ben?

Sanuki-ben is the Japanese dialect spoken in Kagawa Prefecture (formerly Sanuki Province). When you think of Kagawa, you think of udon. After you finish eating your noodles, you might be asked: "Onaka okita?" In the Sanuki dialect, this means, "Are you full?"

If you happen to spill some udon broth at a restaurant, someone might hand you a cloth and say: "Shiru maketan nā. Kore de fukina." In Sanuki-ben, "maketa" means "spilled."

If a coworker says to you during the day, "Kyō, shigoto ga nakanaka katadzukan de erai wa!" how would you respond? You might think, "Am I being praised?" and reply with "Thank you," right? In standard Japanese, "erai" means "great" or "admirable," but in the Sanuki dialect, "erai" means "tired" or "worn out." It seems some other regions also use it to mean "terribly" or "very."

What if, as you're about to head home from work, your boss hands you some mail and says, "Inishina ni posuto ni tōkan shitoite ya"? You might be confused, thinking, "Inishina? Where's that?" In the Sanuki dialect, "inishina" means "on your way home."

By learning about dialects and understanding their background, we can feel a greater warmth and affinity, leading to deeper understanding. That's what we believe. We hope you all take the time to enjoy dialects now and then.

As Professionals in Clear Communication

While we've touched on regional dialects, the world of manual creation has its own kind of language: technical jargon. In the sense that it can only be understood by people within a limited industry, wouldn't you say it's quite similar to a dialect?

At YAMAGATA, where we handle a large number of automotive-related manuals, we have many staff members who hold official mechanic certifications. You might wonder, "Why do you have certified staff when you're not a repair company?" The reason is that when producing instruction manuals and shop manuals, our staff with specialized knowledge read through specifications and drawings. Through on-site investigation of the actual equipment, they understand the structure and operation, including the environment where it's used and its unique terminology. Based on that understanding, they can devise expressions that are easy to comprehend.

We believe it is crucial to understand the specific characteristics of an industry and select the appropriate vocabulary and expressions.