Mexican Spanish

Mexican Spanish

There are many regional dialects within Mexico itself. Below is Goldstein's “Standard” version of Mexican Spanish according to Goldstein. It's important to remember that not all speakers of a dialect will present with all features of the dialect, and that features may manifest themselves in different ways. Mexican Spanish is the most prevalent dialect of Spanish spoken in the United States. The dialect of Mexican-Americans living in the US may differ from “Mexican Spanish” due to the effects of English and of other dialects of Spanish spoken in a particular community.

How the Phonology of Mexican Spanish Differs from "Standard" Latin American Spanish

Dialects of Spanish tend to affect certain consonant classes more than others. For example fricatives (/s/ ) and liquids (/r, ɾ/) vary in productions more more than others. Due to these differences, it is crucial that SLPs take dialect into account in order to avoid misdiagnosis.

Common Phonological Features of Mexican Spanish

Below are some ways in which sounds in Mexican Spanish may differ from “Standard” Latin American Spanish.

Stops

*Change/Environment

/b/ →[v]/ Free Variation

/d/→/∅/

/k/ →/∅/

Fricatives

/s/→/∅/ /syllable final

/s/→ ʰ aspirated /syllable final

/x/→[h] /syllable final

Liquids

/r/ (trill)→[R]/[x] (rare) syllable initial

Glides

/j/→[dʒ/ʒ]

/w/→/gw/

Other features of Mexican Spanish

In the future, it is hoped that this site will contain more information about the phonology, morphology, syntax semantic features of Mexican Spanish. Currently, the reader can following this link to Wikipedia's entry on Mexican Spanish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Spanish. In addition, it is highly recommended that readers consult the resources at the bottom of the page for detailed information designed for the SLP working with Spanish speaking clients.

Allophonic Variations

Note: The voiced stops /b , d, g/ often become voiced spirants [ß, ð, ɤ] between vowels.