Commonness of casual phrases like "あたし" and "ちっちゃい"


I came across a Japanese girl in Germany who talked using words like あたし
instead of わたし, or ちっちゃい instead of ちいさい. When I asked her, she said that
these words or usages of words are more common in Japan.

  * Is this true?
  * How does the majority of Japanese people judge this?
  * Shall learners pay attention to such details or avoid this topic entirely?




Atashi is for females. Chicchai can be seen as more emphatic "tiny". They are
both quite common. Remember that in most textbooks for any language the most
ideal form of the language (often judged so by prescriptive grammarians) is
taught. As you familiarize yourself with real world usage (through travel,
friends, and media) you will discover all sorts of words you were never taught
because they seemed "too casual". DO pay attention because casual speech is
appropriate for casual situations; nothing sets you apart as a gaijin more
than using polite speech in every single conversation you have.




Atashi is for females. Chicchai can be seen as more emphatic "tiny". They are
both quite common. Remember that in most textbooks for any language the most
ideal form of the language (often judged so by prescriptive grammarians) is
taught. As you familiarize yourself with real world usage (through travel,
friends, and media) you will discover all sorts of words you were never taught
because they seemed "too casual". DO pay attention because casual speech is
appropriate for casual situations; nothing sets you apart as a gaijin more
than using polite speech in every single conversation you have.

