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片言 (katakoto) Japanese meaning: broken speech | Kotomora
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えい
語ご
で
道みち
を
尋たず
ね
た
。
She asked for directions in broken English.
The baby started babbling.
Usage patterns 片かた 言こと の 〈 言げん 語ご 〉 broken/halting speech in a language
He asked for directions in broken Japanese.
片かた 言こと で 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something using broken/halting speech
She introduced herself in halting speech.
片かた 言こと を 言い う to speak in broken words (esp. a young child)
My son can still only manage a few broken words.
Related words 片言 is a noun for the broken language itself, while たどたどしい is an adjective describing hesitant, faltering speech or movement.
ブロークン is a loanword used specifically for grammatically flawed non-native language (as in ブロークンイングリッシュ), while 片言 is broader and covers baby talk or any halting speech.
Written forms 片かた 言こと Usage 72%
Standard kanji spelling. The reading かたこと is the primary pronunciation.
カタコト Usage 24%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling often used for emphasis or when describing non-native, broken speech.
かたこと Usage 4%
Etymology Compound of 片 (kata, 'one side, fragmentary') and 言 (koto, 'word, speech'). The reading かたこと is a kun'yomi compound. The katakana form カタコト is a modern phonetic rendering.
