Activities: What is 役割語 (yakuwarigo) or “role-specific language” in Japanese?
Exercise 1: Who said it?
Who is talking? Read the sentence and choose who may be saying the sentence. Pay special attention to the bolded parts of the sentence!
俺、そいつのこと、知ってるぜ！
Ore, soitsu no koto, shitteru ze!
I know that person!あたし、あなたのことが好きなの。
Atashi, anata no koto ga suki na no.
I like you.わしはこの村でずっと生きてきたんじゃ！
Washi wa, kono mura de zutto ikite kita n ja!
I've lived in this village my whole life!オー、日本のサムライ、とってもクールね！Oh, nihon no samurai, tottemo kūru ne!Oh, Japanese samurais are so cool!
Exercise 2: Masculine or feminine?
Is the following language feminine or masculine?
あのね、昨日、友達と新しいカフェに行ったの。
Ano ne, kinō, tomodachi to atarashii kafe ni itta no.
You know, yesterday I went to a new cafe with a friend.あたし、今日はバイトなの。
Atashi, kyō wa baito na no.
I’ve got to work today.腹、減ってるんだったら、うちでなんか食って行けば？
Hara, hetteru n dattara, uchi de nan ka kutte ike ba?
If you're hungry, why don't you eat something at my place then go?おい、それ、やばくねえか。
Oi, sore, yabaku nee ka.
Hey, isn't that kind of dangerous?あら、それとっても可愛いわね。どこで買ったの？
Arα, sore tottemo kawaii wa ne. Doko de katta no?
Oh, that’s very cute. Where did you buy it?
Exercise 3: Kansai dialect
Is the following language Kansai-ben (Kansai dialect) or Standard Japanese ?
そりゃ、あかんわ〜。せやから、ちゃんと計画立てなあかんのや。
Sorya, akan wa. Seya kara, chanto keikaku tatena akan no ya.
That won't do. That's why we need to properly plan (it).すみません、これ、いくらですか？
Sumimasen, kore, ikura desu ka?
How much is this?生涯をかけて彼女を守り抜きます。
Shōgai o kakete kanojo o mamorinukimasu.
I will protect her with my life.そんなん、絶対に言わへんで。
Son’nan, zettai ni iwahende.
I definitely won’t say that.毎度おおきに。また来てや。
Maido ōki ni. Mata kite ya.
Thank you. Come back again.
