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The English language article on [geisha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha)
says

> Apprentice geisha are called maiko (舞子 or 舞妓), literally "dance child") or
> hangyoku (半玉), "half-jewel" (meaning that they are paid half of the wage of
> a full geisha), or by the more generic term o-shaku (御酌), literally "one who
> pours (alcohol)".

and later on says

> The only modern maiko that can apprentice before the age of eighteen are in
> Kyoto. So on average, Tokyo hangyoku (who typically begin at 18) are
> slightly older than their Kyoto counterparts (who usually start at 15).

Is 舞妓 used in all of Japan, or does the term for apprentice geisha vary from
dialect to dialect, just like the word for geisha can be 芸者 or 芸子 depending on
dialect? Alternatively, are 舞妓 and 半玉 now considered distinct terms describing
different concepts?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-08T21:54:53.410
7069
2012-10-12T01:50:51.457
91
question
words dialects
Is the term 舞妓 used in all of Japan, or only in certain dialects?
I don't think I'd call it an issue of dialect, since 舞妓 is understood and used
throughout Japan, but 舞妓 refers specifically to the type of "geisha in
training" in Kyoto.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-12T01:50:51.457
7084
2012-10-12T01:50:51.457
1788
7069
answer