Perceptions of an Osaka Father: How Regional Dialect Influences Ideas on Masculinity and Fatherhood

Abstract

In this current research, we aimed to examine the authenticity of a hands-on father’s Osaka dialect in Kore’eda’s 2013 film Soshite Chichi ni Naru and explore whether native Japanese listeners would perceive him to have those caregiving qualities. The results of a dialect recognition survey indicated ambiguity in the authenticity of the Osaka dialect and that the Osaka dialect-speaking father sounded more non-Standard especially when he spoke in scenes with a Tokyo dialect-speaking father. Next, the results of a series of qualitative interviews showed that the Osaka dialect did project the image of a masculine, dedicated father while also that of a stubborn man of low social status that might not be a good husband. These findings align with a previous discourse analysis and provides new evidence on the ability of Osaka dialect in media to signify an affective, hands-on father as opposed to a cold, distant, Tokyo dialect-speaking father.