Characteristics+of+Spanish+Dialects

Characteristics of Spanish Dialects
When you start to analyze the characteristics of Spanish dialects, often it helps to focus on the following 7 areas. We can almost guarantee that the majority of the dialectal differences that you will hear in Spanish will be based on these 7 areas.

1. The pronunciation of / b d g /
In some positions / b d g / are pronounced as stops [ b d g ], and in other positions they are pronounced as fricatives [ β ð ɣ ]. However, depending on the regional dialect, the fricative pronunciations become "reduced", which results in an approximate pronunciation (notice the diacritic [ ˕ ] below the phonetic symbols [ β ̞ ð ̞ ɣ ̞ ]. Other times the reduction is so complete that / b d g / disappear all together.

2. The pronunciation of words that are spelled with "y" and "ll"
The pronunciation of "y" and "ll" changes a lot from one region to another. Sometimes they are both pronounced as a palatal fricative [ ʝ ]. Other times, especially in initial position, the consonant is "strengthened", meaning that it takes on more of an affricate pronunciation [ dʒ ]. Also common, especially in Argentina and other regions of South America are the alveopalatal (both voiced and voiceless): [ ʒ ] and [ ʃ ]. Generally "y" and "ll" are pronounced the same, but there are also some dialects that pronounce "ll" as palatal lateral: [ ʎ ].

3. The pronunciation of /s/
When you analyze the sounds of /s/, keep track of syllable position. Some of these differences happen only when /s/ is found at the beginning of a syllable. Other times they happen when /s/ is found at the end of a syllable.

3a. Syllable-Initial Position
In syllable-initial position, the major difference is related to tongue position. Think of which part of the tongue is causing the friction. In most of the Spanish speaking world it is in an area that we call the "predorsal", right on top, near the front. (This, in fact, is the same part of the tongue that we use for /s/ in English.) The symbol is simply [s]. However, the "Spanish /s/" or the "/s/ apical" is pronounced by using the very tip of the tongue. The diacritic mark that is used for apical sounds is [ ̺ ], and so the symbol is as follows: [ s̺ ]. This is typical in the northern parts of Spain, and for native speakers of English it sounds a little like words that are spelled with "sh": [ ʃ ].

3b. Syllable-Final Position
In syllable-final position the /s/ is often reduced in some fashion, or it disappears all together. This is often referred to as the "aspiración de la 's'." The phonetic symbol is the glottal fricative, and it may be voiced [ɦ] or voiceless [h]. This reduction is very common in most parts of the Caribbean, the southern parts of Spain, Argentina and Chile. The opposite of this is found when the /s/ maintains a loud, strong friction. In Spanish this is referred to as a "fuerte consonantismo" and the symbol used is simply [s].

4. The pronunciation of /r/ and /l/
Similar to the situation with /s/ sounds, the sounds of /r/ and /l/ are also best analyzed based on syllable position.

4a. Syllable-Initial Position
Generally the double /rr/ is pronounced as a trill (vibrante) and the phonetic symbol is simply [r]. A single /r/ is pronounced as a tap and the phonetic symbol is [ ɾ ]. In syllable-initial position /l/ is an alveolar lateral [ l ]. The major dialectal variation is found with the double /rr/, which can be pronounced as a velar fricative [x] or with more of what is called a "vibrante asibilada" which results in a sound similar to a "whistled" /s/. We'll use the apical diacritic with trill [ r̺ ]. Be aware, however, that this distinction is written with a variety of different symbols by linguistics and others who analyze Spanish pronunciation.

4b. Syllable-Final Position for an apical asibilada
In syllable-final position both /r/ and /l/ can be reduced and changed. Sometimes the result is that both /r/ and /l/ fuse and almost sound like a combination of the two. When a sound takes on an r-like quality, it is a process called //rhotacism//. When a sound takes on an l-like quality it is a process called //lambdacism//. This is especially characteristic of Caribbean Spanish, where, for example, both //mar// 'sea' and //mal// 'bad' sound nearly identical.

5. The pronunciation of /n/
In syllable-final position there are two main possibilities in Spanish. In most dialects there is //assimilation//, meaning that the syllable-final /n/ will take on the point of articulation of the sound that follows. For example, //un beso// = [um.'be.so], //un día// = [un̪.'di.a], //un gol// = [uŋ.'gol]. The other possibility, again characteristic of the Caribbean region, is to change syllable-final /n/ to a velarized articulation, no matter what sound follows. The example above would then become [uŋ.'be.so], [uŋ.'di.a] and [uŋ.'gol].

6. The pronunciation of consonant clusters (obstruent clusters)
Again look at syllable-final position. //Consonant clusters// are formed when one syllable ends with a consonant and another syllable begins with a consonant. Some dialects with "fuerte consonantismo" preserve the original syllable-final consonant, and other dialects reduce, change, or delete them all together. Listen for words like //ritmo//, //digno//, //observar//, and //septiembre: ['rið.mo]// or //['ri.mo], ['diɣ.no]// or //['di.no], [oβ.seɾ.'βaɾ]// or //[o.seɾ.'βaɾ], [sep.tjem.bɾe]// or //[se.'tjem.bɾe].//

7. Features that are unique to a specific area
As a catch all, sometimes there are features that are unique to a specific area. These need to be observed on an individual basis.

These seven areas provide an excellent checklist to compare the pronunciation of those from different dialectal regions of the Spanish-speaking world. These areas will also serve as the foundation for our analysis in class.