vulgar language; low-class speech
Rare term referring to coarse, unrefined, or lower-class language. Often used in historical or literary contexts to describe the speech of commoners or servants.
In period dramas, characters who use vulgar language often appear.
Compound of 下郎 (げろう, 'low-ranking person, servant') and 言葉 (ことば, 'language, words'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term likely emerged in the Edo period or earlier to describe the speech of lower social classes.