| Narada dialect | |
| Isoexception: | dialect |
| Imagecaption: | Approximate Narada dialect area. |
| Nativename: | 奈良田方言 |
| Fam4: | Tōkai-Tōsan |
| Fam3: | Eastern Japanese |
| Fam2: | Japanese |
| Fam1: | Japonic |
| Familycolor: | Altaic |
| Speakers: | ? |
| Region: | Narada, Hayakawa, Yamanashi |
| States: | Japan |
The Narada dialect (Japanese: 奈良田方言 narada hogen) was a Japanese dialect spoken in the village of Narada, Hayakawa, located in Yamanashi Prefecture. Having formerly been isolated for centuries from surrounding areas, the dialect was considered a language island within the Tokai-Tosan dialect group, possessing various traits unique to Narada.
Narada was exceptionally isolated from ancient times; until the Meiji era the nearest settlement was over 2 hours away on foot. Villagers married exclusively amongst themselves, and interactions with outsiders were rare.[1] This environment fostered the persistence of older linguistic traits whilst also spurring the development of locally unique features. After World War II, various prefectural assemblies sought to have academic research conducted into the Narada dialect, with the resultant studies generating nationwide attention. Despite this, development of the nearby town of Hayakawa for electricity generation purposes, in addition to other factors, led to substantial changes in the lives of the residents. A following increase in emigration and the continued ageing of its population meant that by the 1970s, young speakers had all but vanished, placing the dialect at risk of extinction. In 1998, all speakers were aged 40 or over, and by 2020 the dialect had fallen out of everyday use. Despite its sharp decline, a recent study found that the pitch accent and grammar of the Japanese spoken by current residents is heavily influenced by the former dialect.[2]
In the formerly long-secluded Narada, archaic grammar has been well preserved, with multiple unique traits.