Yamagata Prefecture dialects are broadly divided into the Shonai and Nairiku branches. Although both are Tohoku dialects, the Shonai variety belongs to the Northern Tohoku dialect group, which possesses distinct differences to the Southern Tohoku dialect group to which the Nairiku dialect belongs. Whilst the Shonai dialect is found in the west of the prefecture, the Nairiku dialect occupies the inland east (
nairiku hogen literally translates to
inland dialect). The Nairiku dialect can be further divided into the Mogami (Shinjo) dialect of the Mogami Region, the Murayama dialect of the Murayama Region and the Okitama dialect of the Okitama Region (see below). Of these regions, the Mogami dialect most notably has influences from the Shonai and
Akita dialects. Despite this, within the Mogami Region, the
town of Mogami historically had little interaction with the
Shinjo area, and compounded by its closer connection to the Murayama Region, it forms an irregular dialect division. Additionally, in the town of Kasumi,
Yamagata City, the unique so-called ‘Kasumi town dialect’ (香澄町弁
kasumi-cho-ben) was formerly used. == Grammar ==