What is dialect / local langage in Korean? 사투리/지방말

In daily life, I only use the word "사투리" (saturi, dialect).

Most people would use "사투리" in that sentence because it feels the most natural.

To me, the order of naturalness in that sentence is:

1. 사투리 (saturi)
2. 지방말 (jibangmal)
3. 지역어 (jiyeogeo)
4. 방언 (bangeon)

According to the dictionary, all four words can be used. So, rather than just relying on dictionary definitions, it's more important to focus on how naturally each word is used in different situations.

1. The most commonly used word in daily life: "사투리" (Saturi)
Anything that isn’t standard Korean can be called "사투리." It can be categorized by province (e.g., "경상도 사투리" – Gyeongsang-do dialect) or by city (e.g., "부산 사투리" – Busan dialect).

2. A word used in academic contexts: "방언" (Bangeon)
The dictionary does list "방언" as having the same meaning as "사투리" (in definition 2), but in daily life, people don’t use "방언" instead of "사투리."
People use "방언" when they can't replace it with "사투리." Unlike "사투리," "방언" can also refer to speech differences based on social class. It’s commonly used in academic papers, linguistic research, or field studies.
Example: "방언 조사 결과…" (Dialect research results…)
Example: "방언 학술 답사…" (Dialect field study…)

3. A word used to compare regional language to Seoul Korean: "지방말" (Jibangmal) / "지방어" (Jibangeo)
Since areas outside Seoul are called "지방" (province, non-Seoul regions), these words emphasize language in that context.
Example: "Does your country also have 지방말 (regional dialects)?"
Personally, I would still just say "사투리" here.

4. A word used to describe the language of a specific region without the nuance of a "dialect": "지역어" (Jiyeogeo) / "지역말" (Jiyeokmal)
Example: "There are 지역어 (regional languages) that are only used in certain areas of Seoul."

If I were teaching Korean to a friend, I’d explain these differences but just tell them to only use "사투리."

For the rest, it’s enough to simply understand them when reading or listening!