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お国言葉 (おくにことば) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
local dialect ; vernacular ; provincialism
polite (teineigo)
Polite term for a regional dialect or local speech, often used when referring to one's own or someone else's hometown way of speaking. The honorific お makes it softer and more respectful than 国言葉.
See also: 国言葉
する
そう
です
。
My grandmother says she feels at ease when speaking in her local dialect.
Similar words 国くに 言こと 葉ば Neutral term for local dialect; お国言葉 is the polite version with the honorific お.
方ほう 言げん Standard academic term for dialect; お国言葉 is more colloquial and carries a warmer, more personal nuance.
Etymology Compound of honorific prefix お + 国 (country, hometown) + 言葉 (word, language). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of polite expressions referring to one's native place or language.
