6. Spanish

6. Spanish
6.0. ˛e Spanish accents that will be dealt with are the neutral Iberian and the
(central-southern) American versions. ˛ere are really very few di‡erences in neutral pronunciation; therefore a diaphonemic transcription is not necessary (whereas for Portuguese and English it is); the American variant simply has two phonemes less: /†, L/, which become /s, J/. ˛e former two symbols, however, are used
diaphonemically, as they distinguish the two accents.
Requiring informative symbols, to recall this phenomenon more clearly, one
could resort to /†, L/, or –if inclined to a more international type of transcription–
to /s, J/. On the other hand, again, to help foreigners, it is worth indicating the
phonemes /b, d, g/ with /b, ò, g/, in contexts where they are realized as (B, ƒ, Ÿ).
Placing /B, ∑, Ÿ/ (as seen in some text-books and dictionaries with transcriptions)
is no good usage at all: because they are not phonemes, and because in the inflection of lemmata things do not remain constant.
Although, even for Spanish, the number of speakers with çAmericanÇ accents is
decidedly more consistent than for the Iberian ones, we prefer to consider the latter çprimaryÇ, because it is closer to the written word; therefore it is more advisable, for teaching purposes too, also for more coherent spelling, which, on the other hand, is a safer guide to pronunciation.
Obviously, even the American accent has many internal variants, which we here
consider to be non-neutral, even if, they are often more widespread than neutral
pronunciation, which (as happens in every language) is decidedly minimal.
Generally, these variants are not stigmatized in the way easily localized pronunciations are, nor do they have negative connotations, as each nation has its own
çnationalÇ accent as well as regional variants. A more in-depth study of Spanish
pronunciation will give the macro-koinés (at least seven for America), to be considered çneutralÇ, as well as more specific, regional variants.
On the other hand, the non-neutral characteristics of Spanish are shared by most
Hispanic American nations, and in Europe as well, so as to make the non-neutral
accents more alike, even if they remain recognizable. For this reason, regarding
Spanish, other accents will not be presented, other than the two neutral ones (as
done, instead for German, which has more distinct accents, above all in Switzerland and Austria).
However, recordings are being collected for a systematic description of the actual Spanish accents. In the meantime, the phonosynthesis of eastern Andalusian can
be seen (in § 17.9 of NPT/HPh).
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Vowels
6.1.1.1. Spanish has only five vowel phonemes realized as shown in the first vocogram in û 6.1 (i÷ '™, ’e÷ a÷ 'ø, ’o÷ u) /i, e, a, o, u/. For e, o in the neutral Iberian-American accent, in stressed syllables, (™, ø) are normal, but, in unstressed syllables, we find (e, o).
We therefore have examples such as: ('ßi)i ('si)a /'si/ sì˚ ('kRi;ßiß)i (-sis)a /'kRisis/
cr¤¤˚ ('mil) /'mil/ mil˚ (†eR'n™R)i (s-)a /†eR'neR/ cerner˚ (pa'p™l) /pa'pel/ papel˚ ('tj™Rr:a) /'tjeRr:a/ tierra˚ ('ß™iß)i ('s™is)a /'seis/ se¤˚ ('r:™ßto)i ('r:™s-)a /'r:esto/ rπto˚ ('t™;Xa)i
(-xa)a /'texa/ teja˚ (de'XaR)i (-x-)a /òe'xaR/ dejar˚ ('ßj™mpRe)i ('s-)a /'sjempRe/ siempre˚
(a't™nto) /a'tento/ atento˚ (uß't™‡)i (us-)a /us'teò/ ¨ted˚ ('p™†)i (-s)a /'pe†/ pez˚ ('d™fiƒe)i (-z-)a /'òesòe/ dπde˚ ('k™;ßo)i (-so)a /'keso/ ¢πo˘
And: ('p™;Co) /'peco/ pe>o˚ (kom'pR™) /kom'pRe/ compré˚ ('anda) /'anda/ anda˚
(pa'ta;ta) /pa'tata/ patata˚ ('gøRr:a) /'goRr:a/ gorra˚ ('øi) /'oi/ hoy˚ ('r:ø;ßa)i (-sa)a /'r:osa/ rosa˚ ('ø;Xa)i (-xa)a /'oxa/ hoja˚ (mo'XaR)i (-x-)a /mo'xaR/ mojar˚ (fa'BøR) /fa'boR/
favor˚ ('ßøl)i ('s-)a /'sol/ sol˚ (r:a'†øn)i (-s-)a /r:a'†on/ razón˚ ('gølpe) /'golpe/ golpe˚
('pø;Lo)i (-,o)a /'poLo/ poıo˚ (La'mø)i (,a-)a /La'mo/ ıamó˚ (de'kø;Ro) /òe'koRo/ decoro˚ ('tu;Bo) /'tubo/ tuvo˚ (r:u'møR) /r:u'moR/ rumor˘
6.1.1.2. More çsophisticatedÇ descriptions, as those by Navarro Tomás, are, in
actual fact, excessive; indeed, even acoustic data (which, often indicate di‡erences
not heard by the human ear {not even natives'}), generally agree that there are only five realizations. In the pre-phonemic time, Navarro Tomás represented the
stressed and unstressed vocoids with di‡erent symbols, including gradations dependent on their position in a checked or unchecked syllable, or because of contextual influences, leading back to only five elements. Normally, however, the hyper-di‡erentiated gradations come under the stressed ((i, ™, a, ø, u)) and unstressed
((i, e, a, o, u)) phones (Ô û 6.1 again).
û 6.1. Spanish vowels (see text for the second vocogram).
/i/ (i)
/e/
(™, »™, ’e)
/a/ (a)
/u/ (u)
/o/
(ø, »ø, ’o)
/i/ (i)
{((I))}
/e/ (™)
{((e, E))}
/a/ (a)
{((a, q÷ å))}
/u/ (u)
{((u))}
/o/ (ø)
{((o, O))}
/we/ (w™, wÉ,
w‘, jê, ê÷ ’we,
’wÙ, ’wÈ, ’j+, ’+)
Resorting to special symbols (Ô û 8.12 of NPT/HPh), which indicate the intermediate gradations between our fundamental vocoids, however, we could usefully profit from some important indications, not only with reference to the second
vocogram given (for which they would be undoubtedly more useful), but also for
(i§, u§) ((I, u)) and for (a@, a#÷ a°) ((a, q÷ å)) (as it would be excessive to use (I, U÷ Å,
A÷ å), and, for those which follow, (e, E÷ o, O)).
For the articulation of e, o, stressed in pronunciation, there is considerable varia-
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tion (for speakers — words; Ô the second vocogram of û 6.1); indeed, sometimes
(E°÷ O°) ((E, O)) can be found, especially in checked syllables, or in the /ei, oi÷ r:e, r:o÷
ex, ox/ sequences; or, (™°/e§) ((e)), (ø°/o§) ((o)), above all in unchecked syllables; and
also for /e/ in checked syllables in /m, n÷ d÷ †, s/. However, it is not necessary to
point these out, as their regular timbre, in a stressed position, (™, ø), is normal and
safe, used by real natives (despite the variations). In unstressed syllables, in the
same contexts, instead of ((E, O)), we obviously find (™, ø).
For the sake of curiosity, and only here, we give some adapted cases which are
pertinent to the aforementioned examples: ((†™R'nER)) /†eR'neR/ cerner˚ ((pa'pEl)) /pa'pel/ papel˚ (('tjERr:a)) /'tjeRr:a/ tierra˚ (('ßEiß))i (('sEis))a /'seis/ se¤˚ (('r:Eßto))i (('r:Es-))a /'r:esto/ rπto˚ (('tE;Xa))i (-xa)a /'texa/ teja˚ ((d™'XaR))i (-x-)a /òe'xaR/ dejar˚ (('ßjempRe))i ('s-)a
/'sjempRe/ siempre˚ ((a'tento)) /a'tento/ atento˚ ((uß'te[‡]))i (us-)a /us'teò/ ¨ted˚ (('pe†))i
(-s)a /'pe†/ pez˚ (('defiƒe))i (-z-)a /'òesòe/ dπde˚ (('ke;ßo))i (-so)a /'keso/ ¢πo˘
And: (('pe;Co)) /'peco/ pe>o˚ ((kOm'pRe)) /kom'pRe/ compré˚ (('gORr:a)) /'goRr:a/ gorra˚ (('Oi)) /'oi/ hoy˚ (('r:O;ßa))i (-sa)a /'r:osa/ rosa˚ (('O;Xa))i (-xa)a /'oxa/ hoja˚ (mø'XaR)i
(-x-)a /mo'xaR/ mojar˚ ((fa'BOR)) /fa'boR/ favor˚ (('ßOl))i ('s-)a /'sol/ sol˚ ((r:a'†On))i (-s-)a
/r:a'†on/ razón˚ (('gOlpe)) /'golpe/ golpe˚ (('po;Lo))i (-,o)a /'poLo/ poıo˚ ((La'mo))i (,a-)a
/La'mo/ ıamó˚ ((de'ko;Ro)) /òe'koRo/ decoro˚ ((r:u'mOR)) /r:u'moR/ rumor˘
Also for /i, a, u/: ((ßen'tIR)) (ßen'tiR)i (s-)a /sen'tiR/ sentir, ((&aßIŸ'naR)) (&aßiŸ'naR)i (-s-)a
/asig'naR/ øignar, (('I;Xo)) ('i;Xo)i (-xo)a /'ixo/ hijo, (('mIRr:å)) ('miRr:a) /'miRr:a/ mirra,
(('r:I;ko)) ('r:i;ko) /'r:iko/ rico; (('ka;Nå)) ('ka;Na) /'kaNa/ caña, (('ma;Co)) ('ma;Co) /'maco/ ma>o, (('ma;,o)) ('ma;,o) /'maJo/ mayo, (('ka;Le)) ('ka;Le)i (-,e)a /'kaLe/ caıe, (('baile)) ('baile) /'baile/ baile; (('qlto)) ('alto) /'alto/ alto, (('mq;Xå)) ('ma;Xa)i (-xa)a /'maxa/
maja, ((kq'XOn)) (ka'Xøn) /ka'xon/ cajón, (('kqußå)) ('kaußa)i (-sa)a /'kausa/ ca¨a, ((q'un)) (a'un) /a'un/ aùn, ((bIl'Bqo)) (bil'Bao) /bil'bao/ Bilbao, ((q'O;Rå)) (a'ø;Ra) /a'oRa/ ahora; (('tuRko)) ('tuRko) /'tuRko/ turco, (('Xuntå)) ('Xunta)i ('x-)a /'xunta/ junta, (('lu;Xo))
('lu;Xo)i (-xo)a /'luxo/ lujo, ((tuR'r:On)) (tuR'r:øn) /tuR'r:on/ turrón, ((r:u'mOR)) (r:u'møR)
/r:u'moR/ rumor.
6.1.1.3. After /'i, 'u/, /eò|, oò|/ remain (e, o), even if at times we can find (’™, ’ø)
(in neutral pronunciation too): (fe'li;†eß)i (-ses)a /fe'li†es/ felicπ˚ ('r:i;ko) /'r:iko/ rico˘ Even in an unstressed syllable, above all next to /x, r:/, we can have the (™, ø)
timbres, but, for neutral pronunciation, (e, o) are regular and adequate: (&Xela'ti;na)i (&x-)a /xela'tina/ gelatina˚ (koR'r:™o) /koR'r:eo/ correo.
We also indicate a pronunciation which can be heard, above all in words of frequent usage, in not slow speech, the sequence /we/ can be pronounced (wÉ) (realizing a front-central vocoid); whereas in faster or less controlled speech, the sequence can be reduced to a single vocoid (¤ a central rounded (ê)), through progressive shifts: ('pw™;Blo, 'pwÉ;-÷ 'pw‘;-÷ 'pjê;-÷ 'pê;-) /'pweblo/ pueblo˚ ('nw™;Be, 'nwÉ;-÷
'nw‘;-÷ 'njê;-÷ 'nê;-) /'nwebe/ nueve˚ (&aßta'lw™;Ÿo, -wÉ;-÷ -w‘;-÷ -jê;-÷ -ê;-)i (&as-)a /asta'lwego/ høta luego˚ (kweß'tjøn, -wÙ-÷ -wÈ-÷ -j+-÷ -+-)i (-s-)a /kwes'tjon/ cuestión. However, it is not appropriate to actively adopt this particular kind of pronunciation
(which is shown in the central part of the second vocogram in û 6.1).
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Diphthongs
6.1.2.1. ˛e various possible diphthongs are biphonemic, with phonetic realizations corresponding to those of monophthongs, joined together (as in Italian):
('l™i) /'lei/ ley˚ (pei'na;ƒo) /pei'naòo/ peinado˚ ('øiŸo) /'oigo/ oigo˚ (&boiko't™o) /boiko'teo/ boicoteo˚ ('baile) /'baile/ baile˚ ('aula) /'aula/ aula˚ (au'ƒa†)i (-s)a /au'òa†/ audaz˚ ('d™uƒa) /'òeuòa/ deuda˚ (eu'X™;njo)i (-x-)a /eu'xenjo/ Eugenio˚ ('bøu) /'bou/
bou˚ including (di'Ria) /òi'Ria/ dirìa˚ (na'Bioß)i (-s)a /na'bios/ navìos˚ (&konti'nuo)
/konti'nuo/ continùo…
As far as diphthongs are concerned, we must be absolutely resolute because
(strange though it may seem, in the third millennium), there are deep-rooted incorrect convictions, dragged through centuries, which are particularly çvaluedÇ
even by Hispanic phoneticians. A look at how things really are, would (— could)
be easy, by simply considering what is phonetic, exclusively in phonetic terms.
Instead, the range of mixtures of omnipresent (and interfering) spelling and
grammatical (not to speak of metrical and diachronic) considerations, still loom,
resulting merely in the creation of chaos of a subject which sets itself apart in being
clear and objective.
6.1.2.2. As said, Hispanic literature (not that it is alone – ¡unfortunately!) dedicates too much e‡ort in complicating what is quite simple. Indeed, instead of
three very common structures, ¤ real diphthongs (('éé, &éé, ’éé)), hiatuses ((é'é,
é&é)), and heterophonic sequences ((0é), such as, (jé), (wé), and the like), they continue to consider only two of them: çdiphthongsÇ (with fusion: çsyneresisÇ) and
çhiatusesÇ (with separation: çdieresisÇ) but with strained interpretations of medieval origin, of a graphic-grammatical and graphic-metrical nature.
Indeed (unless one is a çmagicianÇ and can do phonetics based on graphic-grammatical categories), in phonetic terms, it is absurd to speak about çdiphthongsÇ in
the case of (—jé, —wé) (('bj™n) /'bjen/ bien˚ ('gwa;pa) /'gwapa/ %apa].
As a matter of fact, only (—éi, —éu) (('aiRe) /'aiRe/ aire˚ ('kaußa)i (-sa)a /'kausa/
ca¨a] are real diphthongs, as any ('éé, &éé, ’éé) sequences are (('auto) /'auto/ auto˚ (&auto'Buß)i (-s)a /auto'bus/ autobùs˚ (au't™ntiko) /au'tentiko/ auténtico]˚ and it
is just as absurd to speak of çhiatusesÇ for ('ié, 'ué), given that only (i'é, u'é) are real hiatuses, as any other (é'é, é&é) sequence ((pa'iß)i (-s)a /pa'is/ paìs]˚ compared to
(pai'ßa;no)i (-s-)a /pai'sano/ pa¤ano˚ a real diphthong. One can, therefore, not trust
literature that only uses two categories (¤ diphthong and hiatus) and, what is
more, who dangerously mix them, so as to include heterophonic sequences in
çdiphthongÇ, and the real diphthong in çhiatusÇ…
Obviously, (real) triphthongs are sequences of three vocoids ('ééé), with prominence on the first element (certainly not (é'éé, éé'é), nor –even– ('jéé, 'wéé), or
(éjé, éwé)), which, instead, occur in ('bw™i) /'bwei/ buey˚ (&paRa'Ÿwai) /paRa'gwai/
Para%ay˘
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Consonants
6.2.0. û 6.2 gives the consonant articulations, of the two neutral accents, which
are necessary for satisfactory Spanish pronunciation.
Instead, û 1.9-15, give orograms, grouped by manners of articulation of all the
contoids given in the chapters of this volume, even as secondary, occasional or regional variants of the 12 languages dealt with.
C {‚}
†i (∑)i
sa (z)a (ß)i (fi)i
(ƒ)
R|r:
(l)
l
(˙)
k g
(›)
/J/|(,)
uvular
velar round.
N
velar
(~)
prevelar
alveolar
n
palatal
(n)
t d
postalveopalatal
ö m (M)
F pb
Ô
ƒ
f
_
ß (B)
ó
‹
dental
labiodental
bilabial
û 6.2. Table of Spanish consonants.
(,)i
xa (Ÿ)
(X)i
(ò)
j|(ã)
(¬)
(F)
w|(j)
Li
+ (N, M, M, º, ∫) Ô text
Nasals
6.2.1.1. ˛ere are three nasal phonemes, /m, n, N/, with various taxophones for
/n/ (m, M, n, ~, N, «, ˙, ,) (û 1.9.1-2; («) is semi-provelar without full contact; we
could add dental ((˙)), before /t, d÷ †/, for which, however, (n) is su‚cient; below,
we add five more taxophones, (N, M, º, M, ∫), for nasal heterorganic sequences):
('ma;no) /'mano/ mano˚ ('ni;No) /'niNo/ niño˚ (um'p™Rr:o) /um'peRr:o/ un perro˚ (im'bj™Rno) /im'bjeRno/ invierno˚ (iM'fj™l) /in'fjel/ infiel˚ (&konten'd™R) ((-˙te˙-)) /konten'deR/ contender˚ (kon'†™ñto) ((-˙'†-))i (-s-) ((-˙'s-))a /kon'†ebto/ concepto˚ (kon'ß™;Xo)i
(-s™;xo) ((-˙'s-))a /kon'sexo/ consejo˚ ('ønr:a) /'onr:a/ honra˚ ('a~Co) ((-nC-)) /'anco/ an>o˚ ('køN›uXe)i (-xe)a /'konJuxe/ cónyuge˚ (uN'›u˙ke) /un'Junke/ un yun¢e˚ (&koNLe'BaR)i (-N›-, -NJ-)a /konLe'baR/ conıevar˚ (u«'w™;Bo) /un'webo/ un huevo˚ ('ba˙ko)
/'banko/ banco˚ ('t™˙go) /'tengo/ tengo˚ ('fRa,Xa)i (-˙xa)a /'fRanxa/ franja˘
˛e articulation of /N/ is palatal, as in Italian, but short (not self-geminant, as in
neutral Italian; even if, at times, it can geminate a little (NN), after a stressed V˚
which is then short): ('ba;No÷ 'baNNo) /'baNo/ baño (Ô Italian ('baN:No) /'baNNo/ bagno]˘
As for /nòw/, even with the prefixes cons-, ins-, trans-, the most normal and suitable articulation is with («): (&ko«ßtRu◊'†jøn)i (-«stRu◊'sj-)a /konstRug'†jon/ construcción˚ (i«ß'tante)i (-s-)a /ins'tante/ instante˚ (&tRa«ßfoR'maR)i (-s-)a /tRansfoR'maR/ transformar÷ obviously forms such as (&†iRku«ß'tan†ja)i (&siRku«s'tansja)a /†iRkuns'tan†ja/ circunstancia are included in this case.
For the first elements of /mn, nm/ sequences, we find some further taxophones,
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with double articulations ((N), alveolar–bilabial, in a more precise pronunciation
style, whereas a performance corresponing to the phonemic structure would sound
extremely pedantic, "˝&), or with coarticulations ((M, º), respectively alveolarized
bilabial and labialized alveolar) or with semi-articulations ((M, ∫)), in a more spontaneous and less controlled kind of pronunciation (û 1.9.1-2): ('iNno, 'iMno, 'iMno÷
˝'imno) /'imno/ himno˚ (koN'mi;Ÿo, koM-, koº-, ko∫-÷ ˝kon-) /kon'migo/ conmigo˘
For /nò/, neutral pronunciation gives (n), even if the velar realization, which remains non-neutral, is very common, above all in America; for word-final written
-m, we can also find (N, M, M, º, ∫) (the labialized taxophones are due to the spelling), even if (n) is neutral and considered more traditional (probably because of
the spelling): (a◊'†jøn)i (-sj-)a /ag'†jon/ acción˚ ('alBun, -uN, -uM, -uM, -uº, -u∫)
/'albun/ álbum˘ It is important to note that before, a pause, the vibrations of the
vocal folds stop at the same time as the o‡set of the tip of the tongue from the alveolar ridge (therefore, something like (-nÈ, -n…, -nO) is not at all acceptable).
Stops
6.2.2.1. Spanish has three diphonic pairs of stops, (p, b÷ t, d÷ k, g) /p, b÷ t, d÷ k,
g/: ('pa;ßo)i (-so)a /'paso/ pøo˚ ('b™;ßo)i (-so)a /'beso/ bπo˚ (um'b™;ßo)i (-so)a /um'beso/ un bπo˚ (tu't™o) /tu'teo/ tuteo˚ (do'løR) /òo'loR/ dolor˚ (&kondo'løR) /kondo'loR/
con dolor˚ ('kaldo) /'kaldo/ caldo˚ ('kø;Ce) /'koce/ co>e˚ (go'Ri;la) /go'Rila/ gorila˚
(&u˙go'Ri;la) /ungo'Rila/ un gorila˘
However, the voiced stops, are realized as such only after a pause, after a nasal,
and in the (homorganic) sequence /ld/, as the previous examples demonstrate. As
a matter of fact, in all other contexts, the çnormalÇ realization is approximant, (B,
ƒ) /b, d/, or constrictive, (Ÿ) /g/ (unless one speaks slowly, with precision or emphasis): ('lø;Bo) /'lobo/ lobo˚ (eß&ta'Bj™n)i (es-)a /es'ta 'bjen/ πtá bien˚ ('b™RBo) /'beRbo/
verbo˚ ('alBa) /'alba/ alba˚ ('pø;BRe) /'pobRe/ pobre˚ (&añßo'lu;to)i (-ñs-)a /abso'luto/ absoluto˚ (ßu'Bli;me)i (s-)a /su'blime/ sublime˚ (&ßuB-le'BaR)i (&s-)a /sub-le'baR/ sublevar
(in this example, the prefix still sounds as if it is separate), (oñ'taR) /ob'taR/ optar
(both b and v are always /b/ (b, B): Spanish does not have ç/v/Ç).
More examples: ('tø;ƒo) /'toòo/ todo˚ (peR'ƒ™R) /peR'òeR/ perder˚ ('ma;ƒRe) /ma'òRe/
madre˚ ('d™fiƒe)i (-z-)a /'òesòe/ dπde÷ (lofi'ƒ™;ƒoß)i (loz'ƒ™;ƒos)a /los'òeòos/ los dedos˚
(&aƒmi'RaR) /aòmi'RaR/ admirar˚ (aƒ'møßfeRa)i (-s-)a /aò'mosfeRa/ atmósfera˚ (&a‡Xe'ti;Bo)i (&a‡xe-)a /aòxe'tibo/ adjetivo÷ ('i;Ÿo) /'igo/ higo˚ (la'Ÿ™Rr:a) /la'geRr:a/ la %erra˚
('a;Ÿwa) /'agwa/ a%a˚ (el'Ÿølpe) /el'golpe/ el golpe˚ ('kaRŸo) /'kaRgo/ cargo˚ ('ßi;Ÿlo)i
('s-)a /'si-glo/ siglo˚ ('diŸno, 'di˙no) /'òig-no/ digno˚ ('t™Ÿnika, -˙n-) /'tegnika/ técnica
(for /gn, kn/, (-«n-) is also possible), (a◊'tøR) /ag'toR/ actor˚ (&di◊†jo'a;Rjo)i (-◊s-)a
/òig†jo'naRjo/ diccionario˘
Before a front V and /j/, /k, g, g/ realize as prevelar, by normal assimilation, but
it is not necessary to systematically use the special symbols ((´, Ò, Ú)): (ki'taR) /ki'tar/ ¢itar˚ ('kj™;Ro) /'kjeRo/ ¢iero˚ ('gia) /'gia/ %ìa˚ ('a;Ÿila) /'agila/ á%ila˘ In a true
intervocalic position, we currently have a semi-constrictive articulation, ((y)) (and
((g))): ('a;Ÿo) (('a;yo)) /'ago/ hago (and ('a;Ÿila) ((-gi-)) /'agila/ á%ila]˘
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6.2.2.2. In word-final position, (‡) /ò/ is weak (¤ articulated with less tension,
((d)), as well as devoiced, ((D)), unless it is followed by voiced phones): ('ß™‡)i ('s-)a
/'seò/ sed˚ (a'Bla‡) /a'blaò/ hablad÷ often it drops in: (uß't™[‡])i (us-)a /us'te[ò]/ ¨ted˚
(ma'ƒRi[‡]) /ma'òRi[ò]/ Madrid, and in nouns with /éòò/ (not monosyllabic nouns):
(beR'ƒa[‡]) /beR'òaò/ verdad˚ (biR'tu[‡]) /biR'tuò/ virtud˘
Furthermore, in the masculine ending -ado(s)˚ the articulation is just as attenuated (up to (`), çzeroÇ, in familiar pronunciation, above all the Iberian one, but not
systematically; generally, in American pronunciation, the drop is considered to be
non-neutral): (Le'Ÿa[;ƒ]o)i (,e'Ÿa;ƒo)a /Le'gaòo/ ıegado˚ (ßol'da[;ƒ]oß)i (sol'da;ƒos)a
/sol'daòos/ soldados˘
As seen, before a voiceless C (or before a possible pause), /b, ò, g/ are devoiced:
(oñ'taR, &a‡Xe'ti;Bo, a◊'tøR) (from the previous section). Due to an excessive influence of writing, above all in the American accent, some articulate /b, ò, g/ as (p,
b÷ t, d÷ k, g) (with voicing in relation to the spelling), before heterosyllabic C
(which, instead, represent a completely normal neutralization): (oñ'taR, op-),
(&ßuB-le'BaR, -b-)i (&s-)a, (&aƒmi'RaR, &ad-), (aƒ'møßfeRa, at-)i (-s-)a, (&a‡Xe'ti;Bo, &ad-)i
(-xe-)a÷ ('diŸno, 'dig-), (a◊'tøR, ak-).
Again, for the same reason, with a further (and more serious) removal from the
real phonic structure, due to improper spelling influence (or because of regional
accents, ™ from Valencia, (v), and from Paraguay, (V)), especially in American pronunciation, some introduce the ç/v/ phonemeÇ in Spanish, which has not existed
for centuries: (&embi'aR÷ ≠&eMvi'aR) /embi'aR/ enviar˘
It is evident that the use we make of /b, ò, g/ is not diaphonemic, as the two accents substantially coincide; it is moreover, interphonemic, because it is supposed
to show where their realization is not a stop, to help foreigners use it correctly,
without strained deductions (and, often, incorrect – and therefore, the source of
endless problems).
Stopstrictives
6.2.3. ˛ere is only one stopstrictive phoneme, voiceless postalveo-palatal, (C)
/c/ (which, compared to postalveo-palatal protruded (c) /c/, of English or neutral
Italian does not have labial protrusion: ('l™;Ce) /'lece/ le>e˚ (mu'Ca;Co) /mu'caco/
mu>a>o˚ (&CaCa'Ca) /caca'ca/ >a->a->ᢠ˛e regional change from /c/ to (ë) is
typically Andalusian and Caribbean.
Phonetically, there is another palatal stopstrictive, (›), which is voiced, and realizes the constrictive phoneme /J/, which only occurs after a pause or after /n, l/:
([koN]'›™Rr:o) /[kon]'JeRr:o/ (con] hierro˚ (&iN›™◊'†jøn)i (-sjøn)a /inJeg'†jon/ inyección˚ ([eL]'›u˙ke) /[el]'Junke/ (el) yun¢e˘ Often, in familiar (and neutral) pronunciation, after pauses, we also find (J) (real constrictive) or a semi-stopstrictive, (W),
or even a stop-semi-strictive, (Ÿ): ('J™Rr:o, 'Ju˙ke÷ 'W-, 'Ÿ-); the same can occur, in
the order (›, Ÿ, W, J), after /n, l/: (koN'›™Rr:o, koN'Ÿ-, koN'W-, koN'J-), (&iN›™◊'†jøn,
&iNŸ™-, &iNW™-, &iNJ™-)i (-sjøn)a, (eL'›u˙ke, eL'Ju-).
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Constrictives
6.2.4.1. ˛ere are five constrictive phonemes; four are voiceless: (f) /f/, (†i, sa)
/†/, (ßi, sa) /s/ and (Xi, xa) /x/; whereas (,) /J/ is voiced (palatal) and, if the truth be
told, only semi-constrictives, as it is half-way between an approximant, (j), and the
real constrictive ((J); but rarer in various languages).
(f) /f/ does not pose any problems, even if, often, American and Iberian speakers realize it as a bilabial (constrictive, (å), or approximant, (F)): ([&uM]fa'BøR÷
[&um]åa-÷ [&um]Fa-) /[un]fa'boR/ (un) favor˘
6.2.4.2. ˛e others need further explanations. Indeed, (†) /†/i is neutral only
in the Iberian accent, whereas in the American accent it becomes /s/: (†a'pa;to)i
(sa-)a /†a'pato/ zapato˚ ('†j™;lo)i ('sj-)a /'†jelo/ cielo˚ ('di;†e)i (-se)a /'òi†e/ dice˚ ('lu†)i
('lus)a /'lu†/ luz˘ Starting from an American, or international type of transcription,
it could be more appropriate to use the diaphoneme /s/: /sa'pato, 'sjelo, 'òise, 'lus/.
Before voiced C˚ the articulation becomes voiced: (Xu∑'ŸaR)i (xuz'ŸaR)a /xu†'gaR/
juzgar˚ ('lu∑ ƒo'Ra;ƒa)i ('luz)a /'lu† òo'Raòa/ luz dorada÷ naturally before sonants, in
the American accent, (s) is preferred (as for /s/; Ô the following section): ('dj™∑mo)i
(-smo)a /'òje†mo/ diezmo˘
6.2.4.3. For /s/ the place of articulation changes, from one accent to another,
as /s/ is (apico-)alveolar in Iberian Spanish, (ß)i, but, (lamino-)dental in American
Spanish, (s)a: (eß'ta;ƒoß)i (es'ta;ƒos)a /es'taòos/ πtados˚ ('ßøl)i ('s-)a /'sol/ sol˚ ('pi;ßo)i
(-so)a /'piso/ p¤o˘ (After a stressed V˚ as well as the normal –and more appropriate–
('é;ßé)i ('é;sé)a, one can also have ('éßßé)i ('éssé)a: ('pißßo)i ('pisso)a.) Before voiced
diphonic heterosyllabic C (/b, d, g/), /s/ becomes voiced, (fi)i (z)a: (lofi'BuRr:oß)i
(loz'BuRr:os)a /los'buRr:os/ los burros˚ ('d™fiƒe)i ('d™zƒe)a /'òesòe/ dπde˚ (difi'Ÿußto)i
(-z'Ÿus-)a /òis'gusto/ d¤g¨to˘ In the /st, sò/ sequences, in neutral Iberian pronunciation, (ß, fi) remain, as can be seen in the given examples; only the denti-alveolar
articulation (dental with a raised tip, ((s, z))) is possible, while it is necessary in the
(still Iberian) pronunciation of the sequence /s†/: (es'†™;na) /es'†ena/ πcena (which
in American pronunciation is (e's™;na) /e'sena/, from //es'sena//).
However, before heterosyllabic non-diphonic C (/m, n, N÷ J÷ w÷ l, L/; for /s/ + /r:/,
see the end of this section), the behavior pattern is di‡erent, even if complementary: in the Iberian accent voicing prevails, (fi, Ü, ß); whereas in the American accent
voicelessness prevails, (s, Ω, z) (even if we transcribe only the first realization for
each accent): ('mifimo)i (-s-)a /'mismo/ m¤mo˚ ('ifila)i (-s-)a /'isla/ ¤la˚ (lofi'w™;ßoß)i
(-s'w™;sos, -'sw-)a /los'wesos/ los huπos˚ ('døò ',™Rr:oß)i ('døë)a /'òos 'JeRr:os/ dos hierros˘
˛e last example shows the normal articulation of the postalveo-palatal kind, (ò)i
(ë)a, before /J/, as also before /L, N/: (laò'Lu;Bjaß)i (laë',u;Bjas)a /las'Lubjas/ lø ıuviø˚
(loò'Nø;Noß)i (loë-, -os)a /los'NoNos/ los ñoños.
If the voiced C that follow are tautosyllabic (¤ when they are part of the same
syllable), /s/ remains voiceless, as even before V˚ /sòé/ (being initial in the phono-syllable): ('ßj™ßta)i ('sj™s-)a /'sjesta/ siπta˚ ('ßw™;lo)i ('s-)a /'swelo/ suelo˚ (&loßa'mi;Ÿoß)i
(-sa'mi;Ÿos)a /losa'migos/ los amigos˚ (&mißeR'ma;noß)i (-seR'ma;nos)a /miseR'manos/
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m¤ hermanos˘ (In the Catalan pronunciation of Spanish, instead, it is voiced, as
in the Catalan language: (&lofia'mi;Ÿoß, &mifieR'ma;noß).)
For /sòr:/ (also /s˘r:/) the most normal articulations are (Ír:, Rr:, §r:, ¸r:, ͸:, R¸:)
(however, we only transcribe (Ír:), but /sr:/, even if its actual pronunciation with
(ßi, sa) is decidedly excessive, as if spoken by a çforeignerÇ {both non-Hispanic and
Hispanic}): (laÍ'r:w™;ƒaß)i (-s)a /las'r:weòas/ lø ruedø˚ (&iÍr:a'™l) /isr:a'el/ Israel˘
In the phonemic transcription, we use /s/, since, when speaking in a slow or emphatic manner, for (fii, za), the actual pronunciation can undoubtedly be voiceless
even in Iberian pronunciation.
6.2.4.4. ˛e criterion adopted here, only considers two kinds of neutral pronunciation; however, while describing the pronunciations of each single nation,
we will inevitably broaden our criteria so as to adequately include the characteristics of every single country (though, with all the non-neutral variants, which
obviously each area presents). ˛erefore, let us mention a non-neutral variant, for
(American, Canary, and Andalusian Spanish) /s˘/, ¤ a very weak laryngeal approximant ((h), voiceless; and (H), voiced before voiced phones), which is generally
found together with what is traditionally (but incorrectly), defined as çaspirate(d)Ç
/s/ (which, from a strictly phonetic point of view would mean (sh), as (th)…), before a pause, or a C˚ or even before a V˘ It is realized as if it were ç/h/Ç. For example: (lah'kw™htah) /las'kwestas/ lø cuπtø˚ ('d™Hƒe) /'òesòe/ dπde˚ ('ihlah, 'iH-) /'islas/ ¤lø˚ (&loha'mi;Ÿoh) /losa'migos/ los amigos (in neutral pronunciation: (laß'kw™ßtaß)i (las'kw™stas)a, ('d™fiƒe)i (-z-)a, ('ifilaß)i ('islas)a, (&loßa'mi;Ÿoß)i (-sa'mi;Ÿos)a]˘
Such pronunciation can even get to transform (h, H) into (`), çzeroÇ.
6.2.4.5. Again, referring to non-neutral pronunciation, there can also be çcoloringsÇ of (h) (voiceless), depending on the timbre of the preceding vowel. ˛is
often happens, in Argentinian Spanish (where the phenomenon is normally heard;
and, only in more formal conversation, can one avoid it; but, before a pause, it is
considered very uneducated and, thus, more carefully avoided): ('liâta) (palatal)
/'lista/ l¤ta˚ ('kw™hta) (laryngeal) /'kwesta/ cuπta˚ ('pa∆ta) (velar) /'pasta/ pøta˚
('tø∆ta) (laryngeal rounded) /'tosta/ tosta˚ ('guWta) (velar rounded) /'gusta/ %sta÷
('iHla, 'd™Hƒe, 'aHma, 'øHmosis, tuH'ƒj™ntes) /'isla, 'òesòe, 'asma, 'osmosis, tus'òjentes/ ¤la˚ dπde˚ øma˚ ósmos¤˚ t¨ dientπ˘ In neutral pronunciation we have: ('lißta,
'kw™ßta, 'paßta, 'tøßta, 'gußta)i (-s-)a and ('ifila, 'd™fiƒe, 'afima, 'øfimoßiß, tufi'ƒj™nteß)i
('is-)a˘
In Argentinian neutral pronunciation, however, only rarely is /s/ fully (s, z), in
/s˘, sò/ contexts, but it is rather a dental grooved semi-constrictive, (∂, d): ('d™dƒe,
lo∂'p™Rr:o∂) /'òesòe, los'peRr:os/ dπde˚ los perros. (˛e two neutral pronunciations
treated here, have (fi, ß)i (z, s)a. A less neutral but controlled Argentinian pronunciation has (≈) for (∂, d) – Ô û 1.9-18.)
Another, even more marked characteristic, which is typical, above all, of parts
of Andalusia and America (in particular, in the Caribbean and southern areas), /sÊ/
fuse together into (=): (miz'ƒ™;ƒos÷ miH'ƒ™;ƒoh÷ mi+'ƒ™;ƒoh÷ mi'Ï™-÷ mi'†™-÷ -o∆)
/mis'òeòos/ m¤ dedos˚ (&tRez'Bailes÷ &tReH'Baileh÷ &tRe='Bai-÷ &tRe'åai-÷ &tRe'Fai-) /'tRes 'bai-
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les/ trπ bailπ˚ (laz'Bø;tas÷ laH'Bø;tah÷ la´'Bø-÷ la'åø-÷ la'Fø-÷ -a∆) /las'botas/ lø botø˚
(loz'Ÿa;,os÷ loH'Ÿa;,oh÷ lo≠'Ÿa-÷ lo'xa-÷ lo'∆a-÷ -o∆) /los'gaJos/ los gaıos˚ (tuz'Ÿa;tos÷
tuH'Ÿa;toh÷ tu±'Ÿa-÷ tu'xa-÷ tu'∆a-÷ -o∆) /tus'gatos/ t¨ gatos ((=) and derivatives have
an intermediate type of phonation between (h) and (H)). Neutral pronunciation
is: (mifi'ƒ™;ƒoß, &tRefi'Baileß, lafi'Bø;taß, lofi'Ÿa;,oß, tufi'Ÿa;toß)i (-z-, -s)a˘
Otherwise, before son(or)ants (/m, n÷ l÷ r:/), /s/ can change into (Ò0, =0): ('mizmo, 'miΩ-, 'mis-÷ 'miH-, 'mi+-÷ 'mi≈-, 'mi)-) /'mismo/ m¤mo˚ ('azno, 'aΩ-, 'as-÷ 'aH-,
'a´-÷ 'an-÷ 'a£-) /'asno/ øno˚ ('izla÷ 'iΩ-, 'is-÷ 'iH-÷ 'i+-÷ 'iú-÷ 'ia-) /'isla/ ¤la˚ (&iÍr:a'™l, &i-5) /isr:a'el/ Israel˘ Neutral pronunciation: ('mifimo, 'afino, 'ifila)i (-s-)a (&iÍr:a'™l)˘
6.2.4.6. ˛e voiced palatal semi-constrictive, (,) /J/ (already introduced in §
6.2.4.1; Ô 6.2.4.3, as well), occurs between vowels, in words or sentences (¤ in contexts which are di‡erent from the çstrongÇ ones in § 6.2.3, but, as said there, it is
also possible in those contexts): ('ba;,a) /'baJa/ vaya˚ ('ø;,e) /'oJe/ oye˘
For /J/, there is a pronunciation which could come under the neutral one (from
a familiar to an energetic kind), which is very common in both accents: (‚). Articulatorily it corresponds to (C) /c/, which comes to form a diphonic pair, thus rendering the consonant system more natural and coherent. Although it is still not
completely neutral, it can be used in a kind of çinternationalÇ accent, simpler and
more functional (even with (s, ,) /s, J/ for /†, L/; therefore indicated by the diaphonemes /s, J/, Ô § 6.0); this pronunciation is justified and supported by the actual
use of many Iberian (including Madrilenian) and American speakers: ('ba;‚a, 'ø;‚e).
According to the criteria adopted in this chapter, the transformation of /J/ to (ë,
ò) is doubtlessly regional (and typical, for example, of Argentinian pronunciation,
whose neutral local pronunciation has, however, (ò) for /J, L/).
Again, in American and Andalusian pronunciations, above all, /J/ can often be
realized as an approximant, (j), but such pronunciation barely comes under neutral (however small the di‡erence may be, since (,) is only a semi-constrictive); a
systematic use of (j) is regional or foreign.
6.2.4.7. For /x/ too, the place of articulation changes from one accent to another (even within the neutral accent), as /x/ is, respectively, uvular, (X)i, and velar,
(x)a: (Xa'møn)i (xa-)a /xa'mon/ jamón˚ (Xe'miR)i (xe-)a /xe'miR/ gemir˚ ('di;Xe)i (-xe)a
/'òixe/ dije÷ when word-final it is weaker, as it becomes an approximant of the same
place of articulation, or even laryngeal: ('bø˜, -h)i ('bø∆, -h)a /'box/ boj÷ it is currently lost in: (r:e'lø[˜], -ø[h])i (r:e'lø[∆], -ø[h])a /r:e'lox/ reloj˘
In the two accents, there can be some variants for /x/, which are included in neutral pronunciation: respectively, a more vigorous articulation ((º)i, voiceless uvular constrictive trill), or less vigorous, ((∆)a, voiceless velar approximant), which
we refer to here only. On the other hand, its transformation into (h) (laryngeal),
which is very common in America and Andalusia, cannot be considered neutral,
according to the criteria adopted here.
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Approximants
6.2.5.1. ˛e Spanish approximants are /j, w/: ('†j™;lo)i ('sj™-)a /'†jelo/ cielo˚ ('w™;Bo) /'webo/ huevo˚ (&awe'kaR) /awe'kaR/ ahuecar÷ devoiced realizations after voiceless C are dialectal (or foreign): ('tj™;ne÷ ≠'tª-) /'tjene/ tiene˚ ('kwa;tRo÷ ≠'k‹-) /'kwatRo/
cuatro˘ Generally, /j/ only occurs after a tautosyllabic C˚ as in the previous examples, and in ('r:j™;Ÿo) /'r:jego/ riego. Instead, at the beginning of a syllable, we have
/J/ exclusively (§ 6.2.4.6, 6.2.4.1, 6.2.3), except in certain areas of America, such as
Argentina, where it is found for hiV-: ('›™;lo, ',-)i ('›-, ',-÷ 'j-)a /'Jelo/ hielo˚ ('›™RBa,
',-)i ('›-, ',-÷ 'j-)a /'JeRba/ hierba˚ against ('›™RBa, ',-)i ('›-, ',-)a /'JeRba/ yerba (independently of the –non-neutral– reduction of /J/ to (j), in certain areas).
For /é[ò]bwé, é[ò]gwé/, in familiar pronunciation, there can be a simplification,
through a velarized bilabial approximant, (ñ), for the first case; or a constrictive,
()) (or (Ÿ), Ô § 9.14 of NPT/HPh), or a semi-constrictive, (m), up to the approximant (w) (both velar rounded): (a'Bw™;lo, a'm™-, a'ñ™-, a'w™-) /a'bwelo/ abuelo˚ (la'Bw™lta, la'm™-, la'ñ™-, la'w™-) /la'bwelta/ la vuelta˚ ('a;Ÿwa, 'a;)a, 'a;ma, 'a;wa) /'agwa/
a%a˚ (la&Ÿwape'tø;na, la&)a-, la&ma-, la&wa-) /lagwape'tona/ la %apetona˘
Instead, for /òw, éw/, in familiar pronunciation, a more vigorous realization is
more frequent (compared to the phonemic transcription): (')™;Bo, 'm™-, 'ñ™-) /'webo/, (&a)e'kaR, &ame-, &añe-) /awe'kaR/. Even in the /nòw/ combination (Ô § 6.2.1.1),
we can have this more vigorous articulation: (u«'w™;Bo, u«')™-, u«'m™-, u«'ñ™-) /un'webo/ un huevo˘ In all these cases, we can hear even syntagmatically divided realizations, (Ÿw, Bw) (and even, (˙gw, mbw), for the last case), however it is doubtlessly better to avoid them.
6.2.5.2. As well as (j, w) and (B, ƒ) (/j, w/, /b, ò/), there are three more approximant (taxo)phones, which, in –normal, not at all slovenly– spontaneous conversation, are the realization of /e, o, a/, in the sequences /0eé, 0oé, 0aé/; therefore we
have, (semi-palatal) /e/ (ã), (semi-velar rounded) /o/ (j) and (semi-prevelar) /a/ (F):
('pãøR) /pe'oR/ peor˚ ('tãa;tRo) /te'atRo/ teatro˚ ('pj™;ta) /po'eta/ poeta˚ (&kjaŸu'laR)
/koagu'laR/ coa%lar˚ (u'nFø;Xa)i (-xa)a /una'oxa/ una hoja˚ ('lFø;tRa pa'Ra;ƒa) /la'otRa
pa'Raòa/ la otra parada˘ In slower, or more solemn speech, we doubtlessly have
(pe'øR, te'a;tRo, po'™;ta, &koaŸu'laR, &una'ø;Xa, la'ø;tRa pa'Ra;ƒa)i (-xa)a, as the phonemic transcription indicates.
Furthermore, there are pronunciations which are currently considered to be uneducated: ('pjøR, 'tja;tRo, 'pw™;ta, &kwaŸu'laR); there is a di‡erence, and it is more
than enough to distinguish the three di‡erent realizations, even if the di‡erence
between (ã, j) and (j, w) might seem negligible (not only for foreigners, but also
for natives who write articles and books, limiting themselves to only two extreme
possibilities, also because of the lack of adequate symbols).
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Trills
6.2.6.1. Spanish has an alveolar trill /r:/ (r:), with three rapid tappings of the tip
of the tongue against the alveolar ridge (so, (r;) would be enough, but experience
prefers (r:)), and a tap /R/ (R), with a single rapid alveolar contact: ('r:a;Ro) /'r:aRo/ raro˘ In interphonemic transcriptions (concerning several languages), it is important
to mark the chron(em)e, because otherwise its nature could be hidden, and Spanish /r:/ might seem to be a simple trill (with two tappings, as Italian /r/ in stressed
syllables: ('ra:Ro)it /'raro/ raro]˘
˛e two Spanish types ((R, r:)) join together too, giving, for examples: ('tj™Rr:a)
/'tjeRr:a/ tierra (Ô Italian ('tEr:Ra) /'tErra/ terra]˚ (laR'r:a;ƒjo) /laR'r:aòjo/ la radio (Ô Italian (la'ra:djo)it /la'radjo/ la radio]˘ Furthermore, in Spanish, the two types are distinctive, between V (even if with length di‡erences, for vowels too): ('ka;Ro) /'kaRo/
caro˚ ('kaRr:o) /'kaRr:o/ carro÷ ('p™;Ro) /'peRo/ pero˚ ('p™Rr:o) /'peRr:o/ perro÷ (&en†e'RaR)i
(-s-)a /en†e'RaR/ encerar˚ (&en†eR'r:aR)i (-s-)a /en†eR'r:aR/ encerrar˘
In our phone(ma)tic analysis, (Rr:) /Rr:/ are heterosyllabic sequences, constituted by (syllable-final) (R˘) /R˘/ or (word-final) (Rò) /Rò/ + (r:) /r:/, with one + three (or
four, to give more emphasis) tappings. ˛ey are not simple segments such as ç/R,
r/Ç (or çr˚ rÇ in the Hispanic tradition).
6.2.6.2. We now (systematically) examine the distribution of the two types. Apart from intervocalic context (just seen), with (Rr:) /Rr:/, where the use is phonemic, we also find (r:) after a pause or after heterosyllabic C (/n, l, s/): (r:a'tøn) /r:a'ton/ ratón˚ ('ønr:a) /'onr:a/ honra˚ (un'r:a;mo) /un'r:amo/ un ramo˚ (al&r:eƒe'ƒøR) /alr:eòe'òoR/ alrededor˚ (el'r:™i) /el'r:ei/ el rey˚ (&iÍr:ae'li;ta) /isr:ae'lita/ ¤raelita˚ (miÍ'r:ø;paß)i (-s)a /mis'r:opas/ m¤ ropø˘
In the other contexts, (R) is normal, even before a pause, where the vibrations
of the vocal folds stop at the same time as the tip of the tongue is removed from
the alveolar ridge (therefore the following are not at all acceptable (-RÈ, -R…, -RO)):
('mi;Ra) /'miRa/ mira˚ ('miRlo) /'miRlo/ mirlo˚ ('øRƒen) /'oRòen/ orden˚ ('tR™n) /'tRen/
tren˚ (a'BRiR) /a'bRiR/ abrir˚ (&ofRe'†™R)i (-s™R)a /ofRe'†eR/ ofrecer˚ (peR'ƒ™R) /peR'òeR/
perder˚ (&poRfa'BøR) /poRfa'boR/ por favor˚ ('iR po'Ra;Ÿwa) /'iR po'Ragwa/ ir por a%a˘
In familiar pronunciation, (R) /R/ can be weakened in all cases, substituting it
with (¸): ('mi;¸a, 'mi¸lo, 'ø¸ƒen, 't¸™n, a'B¸i§, &of¸e'†™§)i (-s™§)a, (pe¸'ƒ™§, &po§fa'Bø§,
'i§ po'¸a;Ÿwa). On the contrary, in a more energetic or emphatic pronunciation,
/R˘, Rò/ can be strengthened into (r): ('mirlo, 'ørƒen, a'BRir, &ofRe'†™r)i (-s™r)a, (per'ƒ™r, &porfa'Bør, 'ir po'Ra;Ÿwa). However, neither of these two phones are indispensable for çgenuineÇ pronunciation.
Laterals
6.2.7. ˛ere are two lateral phonemes in neutral Iberian Spanish, (l, L)i /l, L/;
whilst in neutral American Spanish, the second merges with /J/ – (l, ,)a /l, L/; moreover, /l/ has taxophones which are appropriately used, (¬, L) (it is not necessary to
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mark explicitly ((l)), as long as the articulation is dental): ('la;ƒo) /'laòo/ lado˚ (ka'løR) /ka'loR/ calor˚ (kol'ŸaR) /kol'gaR/ colgar˚ ('alto) {((-lto))} /'alto/ alto˚ (el'†i;ne)i {((el'†-))} (el'si;ne)a {((el's-))} /el'†ine/ el cine˚ (ko¬'Cøn) ((-L'C-)) /kol'con/ col>ón˚ (eL'Nø;No) /el'NoNo/ el ñoño˚ (eL'›u˙ke, eL'J-) /el'Junke/ el yunke˚ ('kla;ße)i (-se)a /'klase/
cløe˚ ('dø;Ble) /'òoble/ doble˚ (e'la;Ÿwa) /e'lagwa/ el a%a˚ (La'maR)i (,a-)a /La'maR/
ıamar˚ ('ba;Le)i (-,e)a /'baLe/ vaıe˚ (&koNLe'Bando)i (-N›-, NJ-)a /konLe'bando/ conıevando˘ Phonetically, before palatals, even the American accent has (L), although
it does not have the phoneme /L/. In the same context, /J/ is articulated as a real
constrictive, (J), or as a stopstrictive, (›).
Before a pause, even for /l/ (as for /n, R/ and for /ò/), the vibrations of the vocal
folds stop at the same time as the tip of the tongue is removed from the alveolar
ridge (therefore, the following are not at all acceptable (-lÈ, -l…, -lO)): ('ßøl)i ('s-)a
/'sol/ sol˚ (lau'R™l) /lau'Rel/ laurel˘
Structures
6.3. We treat the characteristics of the combination of words in connected
speech, and then, above all, sentence-stress (as Spanish writing is quite explicit
about word-stress, though not exactly without doubts and uncertainties, including possible oscillations).
Taxophonics
6.3.1.1. ©th regard to consonant assimilations, they have been dealt with in
the sections of the respective parts. ˛e combination of vowels within words, and
between words in sentences, will be dealt with above all here.
Within a word, two same vowels tend to be reduced to only one, except in formal, slow or controlled speech: (&alBa'a;ka, al'Ba;ka) /alba'aka/ albahaca˚ (a†a'aR,
-'†aR)i (-s-)a /a†a'aR/ azahar˚ (&akRee'ƒø;Reß, &akRe'-) /akRee'òoRes/ acreedorπ˚ (bee'm™n†ja, be'-)i (-sja)a /bee'men†ja/ vehemencia˚ (nii'lißta, ni'-) /nii'lista/ nihil¤ta˚ (&alko'øl, al'køl) /alko'ol/ alcohol˚ (&koope'RaR, ko&o-, &kope-) /koope'RaR/ cooperar˚ (&†oolo'Xia, &†olo-)i (&so-, -'xia)a /†oolo'xia/ zoologìa˘
However, certain words, that otherwise would not be easily recognized, are not
reduced:(kRe'™n†ja)i (-sja)a /kRe'en†ja/ creencia˚ (mo'ø;ßo)i (-so)a /mo'oso/ mohoso˚
(lo'øR) /lo'oR/ loor÷ other words can be reduced except in an intoneme: (le'™R, 'l™R)
/le'eR/ leer˚ ('l™e, 'l™) /'lee/ lee˚ (kRe'™, 'kR™) /kRe'e/ creé˚ (paße'™;moß, pa'ßã™;-, pa'ß™;-) /pase'emos/ pøeemos˘
©th di‡erent V˚ we have: (ko&aŸu'la;ƒo, &kja-) /koagu'laòo/ coa%lado˚ (aR'X™nteo, -tão)i (-x-)a /aR'xenteo/ argénteo˚ (leo'paRƒo, lão-) /leo'paRòo/ leopardo˘
6.3.1.2. On the contrary, in formal, slow or controlled speech, (j, ã÷ w, j) can
change into the vocoids (i, e÷ u, o): ('bja;Xe÷ bi'a-)i (-xe)a /'bjaxe/ viaje˚ ('ßwa;Be÷
ßu'a-)i ('swa-)a /'swabe/ suave˚ ('bju;ƒa÷ bi'u-) /'bjuòa/ viuda˚ ('r:wi;ƒo÷ r:u'i-) /'r:wiòo/
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ruido÷ (al'dãa;no÷ &alde'a-) /alde'ano/ aldeano˚ (lãal'ta‡÷ leal-) /leal'taò/ lealtad˚ ('li;nãa÷
-nea) /'linea/ lìnea˚ ('tja;La÷ to'a-)i (-,a)a /to'aLa/ toaıa˚ (&kjaŸu'laR÷ ko&a-÷ &koa-) /koagu'laR/ coa%lar˚ ('r:ãal÷ r:e'al) /r:e'al/ real˘
It must be remembered that there is a di‡erence between normal pronunciation
(not slow): ('tãa;tRo, &empão'RaR, 'pj™;ta, &kjaŸu'laR) {/te'atRo, empeo'RaR, po'eta, koagu'laR/ teatro˚ empeorar˚ poeta˚ coa%lar] and çuneducatedÇ pronunciation: ('tja;tRo,
&empjo'RaR, 'pw™;ta, &kwaŸu'laR), in addition to slow pronunciation: (te'a;tRo, &empeo'RaR, po'™;ta, &koaŸu'laR, ko&a-).
Except in particular cases, for rhythmic reasons (as will soon be seen), the pronunciation with çunauthorizedÇ diphthongs is decidedly uneducated (although it
is very widespread, especially in Latin America): (pa'iß, ≠'paiß)i (-s)a /pa'is/ paìs˚ (ma'i†, ≠'mai†)i (-s)a /ma'i†/ maìz˚ (ba'ul, ≠'baul) /ba'ul/ baùl˘ ˛e transformation from
/ae, ao/ to /ai, au/ is equally uneducated: ('kaen÷ ≠'kain) /'kaen/ caen˚ (tRae'Ran÷
≠tRai-) /tRae'Ran/ traerán˚ (bil'Bao÷ ≠-au÷ ≠-aU) /bil'bao/ Bilbao˚ (&baka'lao÷ ≠-au÷ ≠-aU)
/baka'lao/ bacalao÷ in cases such as (&e[◊]ßtRa&oRƒi'na;Rjo, e[◊]ß&tRaoR-)i (-s-)a /e[k]stRaoRòi'naRjo/ extraordinario˚ we also have the possibility of: (&e[◊]ßtRFoR-, e[◊]ß&tRFoR-)i
(-s-)a.
6.3.1.3. It is not easy to assess the vocalic (/i, u/) or consonantal value (/j, w/)
of i˚ u in CiV˚ CuV sequences; /i, u/ are definitely more probable near a stress and
at the end of a word: (r:eß'fRio)i (-s-)a /r:es'fRio/ rπfrìo˚ (&r:eßfRi'aR)i (-s-)a /r:esfRi'aR/ rπfriar˚ but: (&eMfRja'm™nto) /enfRja'mento/ enfriamento (and also: (r:eß'fRja;ƒo)i (-s-)a
/r:es'fRjaòo/ rπfriado]˚ (flu◊'tuo) /fluk'tuo/ fluctùo˚ (&flu◊tu'aR) /fluktu'aR/ fluctuar
(and also: (&flu◊tu'ø;ßo)i (-so)a /fluktu'oso/ fluctuoso as well as suntuoso˚ virtuoso˚
which have only (-'twø;ßo)i (-so)a /-'twoso/) but: (&flu◊twa'†jøn)i (-'sj-)a /fluktwa'†jon/ fluctuación˘
˛e infinitives with /i, u/ (which are prevalently short, and their derivatives,
even when there is no longer the simple, original form) are: (re-, mal-)criar˚ fiar˚
rπfriar˚ enfriar˚ liar˚ (ex-)piar˚ (π-, ¤-)triar˚ %iar˚ (dπ)viar˚ enviar˚ reenviar÷ puar˚
ruar˚ fluctuar÷ concluir˚ excluir˚ incluir˚ ocluir˚ recluir˚ (a-, in-, re-)fluir˚ diluir˚
(re)huir˚ (π)muir˚ (re)construir˚ instruir˚ πtatuir˚ (re)constituir˚ dπtituir˚ instituir˚
rπtituir˚ s¨tituir˚ intuir˘ For ui˚ the pronunciation with /'wi/ is frequent, as well.
Other cases of /i, u/ appear for short or compound forms: (&aBi'øn) /abi'on/ avión˚ (bi'™;njo) /bi'enjo/ bienio˚ (biu'ni;Boko) /biu'niboko/ biunìvoco˚ (tRi'™;njo) /tRi'enjo/ trienio˚ (tRi'a˙gulo) /tRi'angulo/ trián%lo˚ (&dje†i'ø;Co, &dj™-)i (-si-)a /òje†i'oco/ diecio>o˚ (&beinti'ø;Co, &b™i-) /beinti'oco/ veintio>o˚ (gi'øn) /gi'on/ %ión˚ (i'a;to) /i'ato/ hiato˚ (pRi'øR) /pRi'oR/ prior˚ (kRi'an†a)i (-sa)a /kRi'an†a/ crianza˚ (fi'an†a)i
(-sa)a /fi'an†a/ fianza˚ (fi'a;ƒo) /fi'aòo/ fiado˚ (fi'ambRe) /fi'ambRe/ fiambre˚ (pi'a;no)
/pi'ano/ piano˚ but: (&tRja˙gu'laR) /tRjangu'laR/ trian%lar˚ (kRja'tu;Ra) /kRja'tuRa/ criatura˚ (fja'ƒøR) /fja'òoR/ fiador˚ (koM'fjan†a)i (-sa)a /kon'fjan†a/ confianza˚ (fjam'bR™;Ra) /fjam'bReRa/ fiambrera˚ (pja'nißta)i (-sta)a /pja'nista/ pian¤ta˘ Let us note,
logically: ('Cja;paß)i (-s)a /'cjapas/ ≥iapø (with no dropping of /j/ after /c/).
We also have: (u'i;ƒa) /u'iòa/ huida (as huir]˚ (di'uRno, 'dju-) /òi'uRno, 'òju-/ diurno (but: (dju'tuRno) /òju'tuRno/ diuturno]˚ (Xu'i;†jo, 'Xwi-)i (xu'i;sjo, 'xwi-)a /xu'i†jo,
'xwi-/ juicio (but: (Xwi'†jø;ßo, 'Xw™†)i (xwi'sjø;so, 'xw™s)a /xwi'†joso, 'xwe†/ juicioso˚ juez]˚ (tRi'uMfo) /tRi'unfo/ triunfo˚ (tRiuM'fal, tRju-) /tRiun'fal, tRju-/ triunfal˘ For
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muy˚ we normally have ('mwi) /'mwi/, but also ('mui) /'mui/ is frequent (even if it
is often considered as dialectal).
Preferably, words like the following have /'wi/, but pronunciation with /u'i/ is
common, too: circuito˚ fortuito˚ gratuito˚ suizo˚ cøu¤ta˚ ruido˚ ruin˚ ruina˚ arruino˘
However, in fast speech, forms with /u'é, i'é/ easily become /'wé, 'jé/: (&deßtRu'iR,
deß'tRwiR)i (-s-)a /òestRu'iR/ dπtruir˚ (&ko«ßtRu'i;ƒo, ko«ß'tRwi;ƒo)i (-s-)a /konstRu'iòo/
construido˚ (fi'a;moß, 'fja;moß)i (-s)a /fi'amos/ fiamos˚ (&a◊tu'aR, a◊'twaR) /agtu'aR/ actuar˚ (&kaRi'a~Co, ka'Rja~Co) /kaRi'anco/ carian>o˚ (&beinti'u;no, bein'tju;no) /beinti'uno/ veintiuno˘
6.3.1.4. Between words˚ clusters of V are more varied and more numerous, but
the criteria are the same. ©th identical V˚ reduction is greatly favored: (laaR'r:™;Ÿlo,
lFaR-, laR-) /laaR'r:eglo/ la arreglo˚ (lee[◊]ß'pli;ko, lãeß-, leß-)i (-s-)a /lee[k]s'pliko/ le explico˚ (&loolBi'ƒ™, &ljo-, &lo-) /loolbi'òe/ lo olvidé˚ ('a˙gulo oñ'tußo) /'angulo ob'tuso/ án%lo obt¨o˚ (&impla'ka;Ble e˙'kø;no, &impla'ka; Ble˙-) /impla'kable en'kono/ implacable encono÷ (la'pR™;ßa 'a;†e u'na~CoR r:e'manßo, la'pR™; 'ßa;†e)i (-sa, -se, -so)a /la'pResa
'a†e u'nancoR r:e'manso/ la prπa hace un an>o remanso˚ (e'laiRe 'entRa ßil'Bando, e'lai 'Ren-)i (sil-)a /e'laiRe 'entRa sil'bando/ el aire entra silbando˚ (&mafi'B™˙2 'kwa;tRo 'ø;Xoß2 ke'ƒøß, &kwa'tRø;-)i (&maz-, -xos, -øs)a /mas'ben 'kwatRo 'oxos ke'òos/ más ven cuatro ojos ¢e dos˘
If the V are di‡erent, we have: (loaR'r:™;Ÿlo, ljaR-) /loaR'r:eglo/ lo arreglo˚ (la&oñßeR'B™, &lFo-)i (-s-)a /laobseR'be/ la observé˚ (loe[◊]ß'pli;ko, ljeß-)i (-s-)a /loe[k]s'pliko/ lo
explico˚ (lae[◊]ß'pli;ko, lFeß-)i (-s-)a /lae[k]s'pliko/ la explico˚ (loim'pli;ko, ljim-)
/loim'pliko/ lo implico˚ (laim'pli;ko, lFim-) /laim'pliko/ la implico˚ ('tø;ƒo a'k™;Lo,
'tø; ƒja-)i (-,o)a /'toòo a'keLo/ todo a¢eıo˚ ('tRißte o'ka;ßo, 'tRiß tão-)i (-is-, -so)a /'tRiste
o'kaso/ tr¤te ocøo˚ (&entReilu'ßjø;neß, &entRi-)i (-sjø;nes)a /entReilu'sjones/ entre il¨ionπ˚ ('pu;ƒo außen'taRße, 'pu; ƒjau-)i (-sen'taRse)a /'puòo ausen'taRse/ pudo a¨entarse˚
('™;Roe iNmoR'tal, '™;Rje, iº-, i∫-, '™; Rjãi-) /'eRoe inmoR'tal/ héroe inmortal˚ (pa'la;†jo
au'Ÿußto, pa'la; †jjau-)i (-sjo, -sto)a /pa'la†jo au'gusto/ palacio au%sto÷ (ße'Ÿun ße&ano'ta;ƒo, ßãano-)i (s-, s-)a /se'gun seano'taòo/ segùn se ha notado˚ (de'ambofi 'mø;ƒoß,
'dãam-)i (-s)a /òe'ambos 'moòos/ de ambos modos˘
Obviously, the function of the vocalic elements that come into contact also
count. In fast speech, a grammeme-final V seems rather redundant; thus, it can be
dropped, even where its morphological function may seem important (however,
there are all the other elements which compensate adequately).
˛us, one could quite easily achieve even çzeroÇ, even with di‡erent V\ (la&aBRi'R™, &lFa-, &laB-) /laabRi'Re/ la abriré˚ (lo'ø;ƒjo, 'ljø;-, 'lø;-) /lo'oòjo/ lo odio˚ (mi'i;Xo,
'mãi;-, 'mi;-)i (-xo)a /mi'ixo/ mi hijo˚ (laeß'pø;ßa, lFeß-, leß-)i (-s'pø;sa)a /laes'posa/ la
πposa˚ (la'ø;Ra, 'lFø;-, 'lø;-) /la'oRa/ la hora˚ (lai'Xi;ta, lFi-, li-)i (-x-)a /lai'xita/ la hijita˚
(lo'u;niko, 'lju;-, 'lu;-) /lo'uniko/ lo ùnico˚ (lou'nj™;Ron, lju-, lu-) /lou'njeRon/ lo unieron˚ (me'i;Ba, 'mãi;-, 'mi;-) /me'iba/ me iba˚ (me&ima'Xi;no, &mei-, &mãi-, &mi-)i (-x-)a
/meima'xino/ me imagino˘
6.3.1.5. Even clusters of various V are frequent in these examples (taken from
Navarro Tomás, but retranscribed and completed): (&eßka'l™;Ra aR'r:i;Ba, -'l™; RaR'r:i-)i
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(&eska-)a /eska'leRa aR'r:iba/ πcalera arriba˚ (a'ma;ƒa eß'pø;ßa, a'ma; ƒFeß-, ƒeß-)i (-s-)a
/a'maòa es'posa/ amada πposa˚ (o'f™Rta i,'Xußta, o'f™R tFi,-, -ti,-)i (-˙'x-)a /o'feRta in'xusta/ oferta inj¨ta˚ (pa'la;BRa o'ßa;ƒa, pa'la; BRFo-, BRo-)i (-s-)a /pa'labRa o'saòa/ palabra osada˚ ('ka;ßa u'milde, 'ka; ßFu-, ßu-)i (-s-)a /'kasa u'milde/ cøa humilde˚ ('kj™;Re a'BlaR, 'kj™; Rãa-, -Ra-) /'kjeRe a'blaR/ ¢iere hablar˚ ('pw™;ƒe eßkRi'BiR, 'pw™; ƒãeß-, ƒeß-)i
(-s-)a /'pweòe eskRi'biR/ puede πcribir˘
Also: ('nømbRe i'lußtRe, 'nøm bRãi-, bRi-) /'nombRe i'lustRe/ nombre il¨tre˚ ('tj™;ne
oR'Ÿu;Lo, 'tj™; não-, no-)i (-,o)a /'tjene or'guLo/ tiene or%ıo˚ ('X™nte u'milde, 'X™n tãu-÷
tu-)i ('x-)a /'xente u'milde/ gente humilde˚ ('ka;ßi apa'Ÿa;ƒo, 'ka; ßja-)i (-si, sj-)a /'kasi apa'gaòo/ cøi apagado˚ (mi&eßpe'Ran†a, &mieß-, &mjeß-)i (-es-, -sa)a /miespe'Ran†a/ mi
πperanza˚ ('ka;ßi impo'ßi;Ble, 'ka; ßim-)i (-si, si-)a /'kasi impo'sible/ cøi imposible˚
(mio&BliŸa'†jøn, mjo-)i (-'sj-)a /miobliga'†jon/ mi obligación˚ (&niuna'B™†, ni&u-,
&nju-)i (-™s)a /niuna'be†/ ni una vez˘
And also: ('gRi;to a'Ÿu;ƒo, 'gRi; tja-) /'gRito a'guòo/ grito a%do˚ ('pø;ko eß'fw™R†o,
'pø; kjeß-÷ keß-)i (es-, -so)a /'poko es'fweR†o/ poco πfuerzo˚ ('n™;ŸRo iM'fj™Rno, 'n™;
ŸRjiM-, ŸRiM-) /'negRo in'fjeRno/ negro infierno˚ ('kwaRto oß'ku;Ro, 'kwaR tjoß-, toß-)i
(-s-)a /'kwarto os'kuRo/ cuarto oscuro˚ (e˙'ga;No u'ma;no, e˙'ga; Nju-, Nu-) /en'gaNo
u'mano/ engaño humano˚ (&ßuamiß'ta‡, &ßwa-)i (&s-, &s-)a /suamis'taò/ su am¤tad˚ ('impetu &eßpan'tø;ßo, -&tu eß-, -pe &tweß-)i (-es-, -so)a /'impetu espan'toso/ ìmpetu πpantoso˚ ('tRi;Bu i˙'gRa;ta, 'tRi; Bwi˙-) /'tRibu in'gRata/ tribu ingrata˚ (&poRßuo'nøR, -ßwo-)i
(-s-)a /poRsuo'noR/ por su honor˚ (eß'pi;Ritu u'ma;no, -Ri tu-)i (-s-)a /es'piRitu u'mano/
πpìritu humano˚ ('L™;Ÿa aaƒo'RaR, 'L™;Ÿa aƒo-, 'L™; Ÿaƒo-)i (',™-)a /'Lega aaòo'RaR/ ıega
a adorar˚ ('i;Ba aen†en'd™R, 'i;Ba en-)i (-s-)a /'iba aen†en'deR/ iba a encender˘
Further examples still: (be˙'gan†a ai'Ra;ƒa, -an †Fai-, -an †ai-)i (-sa, s-)a /ben'gan†a ai'Raòa/ venganza airada˚ (eß'ta;Ba ao'Ÿa;ƒa, -eß'ta; BFao-, Bao-)i (es-)a /es'taba ao'gaòa/ πtaba ahogada˚ (r:o'ßa;ƒa au'Rø;Ra, r:o'ßa; ƒFau-, ƒau-)i (-s-)a /r:o'saòa au'RoRa/
rosada aurora˚ ('kulta eu'Rø;pa, 'kul tFeu-, teu-) /'kulta eu'Ropa/ culta Europa˚ (a'pR™nde aa'BlaR, a'pR™n dãaa-, dãa-) /a'pRende aa'blaR/ aprende a hablar˚ ('auRea eß'pa;ƒa, 'auRãa, &au RãFeß'pa;ƒa)i (-s-)a /'auRea es'paòa/ áurea πpada˚ ('mw™Rte ai'Ra;ƒa, 'mw™R tãai-,
tai-) /'mweRte ai'Raòa/ muerte airada˚ (pRe'ßu;me aon'daR, pRe'ßu; mãaon-)i (-s-)a /pRe'sume aon'daR/ prπume ahondar˚ ('fR™nte au'Ÿußta, 'fR™n tãau-, tau-)i (-s-)a /'fRente au'gusta/ frente au%sta˚ (biR'Xi;neo e˙'kanto, -nãjo, -não)i (-x-)a /biR'xineo en'kanto/
virgìneo encanto˘
6.3.1.6. Examples of vowel clusters in sentences continue: (no'ti;†ja a'l™;ŸRe, no'ti; †ja'l™-)i (-s-)a /no'ti†ja a'legRe/ noticia alegre˚ ('r:™Xja eß'tiRpe, 'r:™; XjFeß-, Xjeß-)i (-x-,
-s-)a /'r:exja es'tiRpe/ regia πtirpe˚ ('glø;Rja iNmoR'tal, iº-, i∫-, 'glø; RFi-) /'gloRja inmoR'tal/ gloria inmortal˚ (eß'tan†ja o'kulta, eß'tan †jFo-, †jo-)i (es-, -sja)a /es'tan†ja o'kulta/ πtancia oculta˚ (Xuß'ti;†ja u'ma;na, Xuß'ti; †jFu-, †ju-)i (xus'ti;s-)a /xus'ti†ja u'mana/ j¨ticia humana˚ ('na;ƒje a'ku;ƒe, 'na; ƒja-) /'naòje a'kuòe/ nadie acude˚ ('X™;njo
aß'tu;to, 'X™; njjaß-)i ('x™-, -s-)a /'xenjo as'tuto/ genio øtuto˚ (ßi'l™n†jo elo'kw™nte, ßi'l™n †jje-)i (si-, -sjo)a /si'len†jo elo'kwente/ silencio elocuente˚ ('ø;†jo i'nu;til, 'ø;
†jji-)i (-sjo)a /'o†jo i'nutil/ ocio inùtil˘
Also: ('n™;†jo oR'Ÿu;Lo, 'n™; †jjoR-, '†joR-)i (-sj-, -,o)a /'ne†jo oR'guLo/ necio or%ıo˚
('ßi;tjo um'bRø;ßo, 'ßi; tjjum'-)i ('si-, -so)a /'sitjo um'bRoso/ sitio umbroso˚ ('bw™lBo aa-
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'taRlo, -Bo a't-, 'bw™l Bja't) /'bwelbo aa'taRlo/ vuelvo a atarlo˚ ('b™˙go aempe'†aR,
'b™˙ gjaem-, gjFem-, gjem-)i (-saR)a /'bengo aempe'†aR/ vengo a empezar˚ ('kw™Rpo
ai'Rø;ßo, 'kw™R pjFi-, pjai-) /'kweRpo ai'Roso/ cuerpo airoso˚ (diß'pw™ßto ao&Beƒe'†™R,
diß'pw™ß tjFo-, tjao-)i (-s'pw™s-, -s™R)a /òis'pwesto aobeòe'†eR/ d¤puπto a obedecer˚
('faußto auß'pi;†jo, 'fauß tjFuß-, tjauß-)i (-st-, -s'pi;sjo)a /'fausto aus'pi†jo/ fa¨to a¨picio˘
And also: (an'ti;Ÿwa alti'B™†, an'ti; Ÿwal-)i (-™s)a /an'tigwa alti'be†/ anti%a altivez˚ ('l™˙gwa e[◊]ß'tRa;Na, 'l™˙ gwFe-)i (-s-)a /'lengwa e[k]s'tRaNa/ len%a extraña˚ (eß'ta;twa iN'mø;Bil, iº-, i∫-, eß'ta; 'twFi-)i (es-)a /es'tatwa in'mobil/ πtatua inmóvil˚ ('a;Ÿwa olo'Rø;ßa, 'a; ŸwFo-) /'agwa olo'Rosa/ a%a olorosa˚ ('fa;twa u&mani'ƒa‡, 'fa; twFu-)
/'fatwa umani'òaò/ fatua humanidad˚ ('mu;two a'møR, 'mu; twja-) /'mutwo a'moR/
mutuo amor˚ ('aRƒwo em'p™;No, 'aR ƒwjem-) /'aRdwo em'peNo/ arduo empeño˚ (peR'p™;two im'p™;Rjo, peR'p™; twjim-) /peR'petwo im'peRjo/ perpetuo imperio˚ (kon'ti;nwo e'lø;Xjo, kon'ti; nwje-)i (-xjo)a /kon'tinwo e'loxjo/ continuo elogio˘
Lastly: ('fa;two oR'Ÿu;Lo, 'fa; twjoR-, twoR-)i (-,o)a /'fatwo oR'guLo/ fatuo or%ıo˚
('mønßtRwo u'ma;no, 'mønß tRwju-, tRwu-)i (-s-)a /'monstRwo u'mano/ monstruo
humano˚ ('r:™;Xja au&toRi'ƒa‡, 'r:™; XjFu-, Xjau-)i (-x-)a /'r:exja autoRi'òaò/ regia autoridad˚ (koR'r:jø aeßpe'RaRlo, Feß-, eß-)i (-s-)a /koR'r:jo aespe'RaRlo/ corrió a πperarlo˚ (pa'la;†jo au'Ÿußto, pa'la; †jjau-, †jjFu-)i (-sjo, -us-)a /pa'la†jo au'gusto/ palacio au%sto˚ (i'ni;kwo au'Ÿu;Rjo, i'ni; kwjau-, kwjFu-) /i'nikwo au'guRjo/ inicuo au%rio˚ (em'bi;ƒjo aeu'ß™;Bjo, em'bi; ƒjjaeu-, ƒjaeu-, ƒjFeu-, ƒjjeu-)i (-s-)a /em'biòjo aeu'sebjo/
envidio a E¨ebio˘
6.3.1.7. ˛e conjunctions y˚ o (and their variants e˚ u], between V in di‡erent
words (even if with /wé/), are normally realized as (j, w) /j, w/ (but also with (ã,
j)): ('ka;ßa 'jw™Rta, 'ãw™-)i (-sa)a /'kasa 'jwerta/ cøa y huerta˚ ('a;Ÿwa 'jaiRe, 'ãa-) /'agwa
'jaiRe/ a%a y aire˚ (ßa˙'gRj™nta 'ja~Ca, 'ãa-) /san'gRjenta 'janca/ sangrienta y an>a˚
(a'pa;Ÿa jen'†j™nde, ãe-)i (-sj-)a /a'paga jen'†jende/ apaga y enciende˚ ('ka;Le jeß'ku;Ce, ãe-)i (-,e jes-, ãe-)a /'kaLe jes'kuce/ caıe y πcu>e˚ (ßo'BRi;na 'ji;Xa, 'ãi-)i (so-, -xa)a
/so'bRina 'jixa/ sobrina e hija˚ (r:i'k™;†a jin'dußtRja, ãin-)i (-sa, -st-)a /r:i'ke†a jin'dustRja/ ri¢eza e ind¨tria˚ ('™ßta wa'k™;La, ja-)i ('™s-, -,a)a /'esta wa'keLa/ πta o a¢eıa˚ ('bla˙ka wa'†ul, ja-)i (-sul)a /'blanka oa'†ul/ blanca o azul˚ ('ßj™;te 'wø;Co, 'jø-)i
('sj-)a /'sjete u'oco/ siete u o>o˚ ('u ;no 'wø;tRo, 'jø-) /'uno u'otRo/ uno u otro˘
˛e real language (¤ the spoken language) shows how grammar futilely complicates things, given that the normal pronunciation of the four written forms [y˚ e÷
o˚ u] is the same (for e there is (ã), too). Naturally, schools have then reinforced the
çneedÇ for distinction, imposing it on pronunciation too; thus slowing down emission, or paying attention (to spelling), or for the sake of clarity, /i, e÷ o, u/ can
come up again.
6.3.1.8. Usually (except in slow speech), a final C˚ followed by an initial V˚ in
words without breaks, resyllabifies: (e'lø;Ro) /e'loRo/ el oro˚ (u'nømbRe) /u'nombRe/
un hombre˚ ('muCo ßo'nø;Reß)i (so-, -es)a /'muco so'noRes/ mu>os honorπ˚ ('lu †ama'Ri;La)i (sa-, -,a)a /'lu †ama'RiLa/ luz amariıa˘
Hence, there is no di‡erence between: helado and el hado (e'la;ƒo) /e'laòo/, elegi-
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do and el ejido (&ele'Xi;ƒo)i (-x-)a /ele'xiòo/, hele>o and el he>o (e'l™;Co) /e'leco/, heleno and el heno (e'l™;no) /e'leno/, la sabπ and lø avπ (la'ßa;Beß)i (la'sa;Bes)a /la'sabes/, ena%ø and en a%ø (e'na;Ÿwaß)i (-s)a /e'nagwas/, enojo and en ojo (e'nø;Xo)i
(-xo)a /e'noxo/˘
In emphatic or vigorous pronunciation, or in singing, after stressed V˚ the continuous non-diphonic C (voiced: /m, n, N÷ l, L/, and voiceless: /f, †, s, x/ – but not
/R, Rr:/, for which length is essential), instead of the normal structure, with ('é;0é),
often have ('é00é): ('u ;mo, "ummo) /'umo/ humo˚ ('a;na, "anna) /'ana/ Ana˚ ('ba;le,
"balle) /'bale/ vale˚ ('X™;fe, "X™ffe)i (x™-)a /'xefe/ jefe˚ ('di;†e, "di††e)i (-se, -sse)a /'òi†e/
dice˚ ('ka;ßa, "kaßßa)i (-sa, -ssa)a /'kasa/ cøa˚ ('i;Xo, "iXXo)i (-xo, -xxo)a /'ixo/ hijo˘
6.3.1.9. Phonetically, two same C are realized as a contained gemination, /00/
(00): (i&nnume'Ra;Ble) /innume'Rable/ innumerable˚ (&ßinne&†eßi'ƒa‡)i (&sinne&se-)a /sinne†esi'òaò/ sin necπidad˚ ('øBBjo) /'obbjo/ obvio˚ (&ßuBBen'†jøn)i (&su-, -'sj-)a /subben'†jon/ subvención˚ (e'ƒaƒ ƒi'Cø;ßa)i (-sa)a /e'òaò òi'cosa/ edad di>osa˚ (&XuBen'tuƒ
ƒo'Ra;ƒa)i (xu-)a /xuben'tuò òo'Raòa/ juventud dorada˚ (koR'†™l li'X™;Ro)i (-'s™l li'x™-)a
/koR'†el li'xeRo/ corcel ligero˚ (el'lø;Bo) /el'lobo/ el lobo˚ ('lu† †eni'tal)i (-s s-)a /'lu† †eni'tal/ luz cenital˚ ('dj™† †i'ŸaRr:oß)i (-s s-, -os)a /'òje† †i'gaRr:os/ diez cigarros˚ (&loß ße'Nø;Reß)i (-s s-, -es)a /losse'NoRes/ los señorπ˚ ('døß ßo'BRi;noß)i (-s s-, -os)a /'òos so'bRinos/ dos sobrinos˘
˛e di‡erence between (0) and (00) is more than enough (and what is necessary) to distinguish cases such as: (&uno'Bi;Lo)i (-,o)a /uno'biLo/ un oviıo and (&unno'Bi;Lo)i (-,o)a /unno'biLo/ un noviıo˚ (ßo'nømbReß)i (s-, -s)a /so'nombRes/ son hombrπ and (ßon'nømbReß)i (s-, -s)a /son'nombRes/ son nombrπ˚ (a&k™'lø;Ro) /a'ke 'loRo/
a¢el oro and (a&k™l'lø;Ro) /a'kel 'loRo/ a¢el loro˚ ('ma 'ßø;BRan)i ('s-)a /'ma 'sobRan/
más obran and ('maß 'ßø;BRan)i (-s 's-)a /'mas 'sobRan/ más sobran˘
˛e prefix /sub/ sub-˚ before /r:/, is obviously heterosyllabic: (&ßuB-r:a',aR) /subr:a'JaR/ subrayar÷ the same occurs, with other C˚ when the a‚x is clearly perceived:
(&ßuB-limi'nal)i (&s-)a /sub-limi'nal/ subliminal˘
For -dl-˚ the syllabification is /ò-l/: (mi'Raƒ-lo) /mi'Raòlo/ miradlo÷ for -tl-˚ ç/t-l/iÇ
(¤ /ò-l/i) and /-tl/a prevail: ('a‡laß)i ('a;tlas)a /'aòlas, 'atlas/ atlø˚ (a‡'l™;ta)i (a'tl™;ta)a
/aò'leta, a'tle-/ atleta˘
6.3.1.10. As has already been mentioned, spontaneous and normal pronunciation –for heterosyllabic (voiced or voiceless) stops– has non-stopped realizations:
voiced before voiced C˚ and half-voiced before voiceless ones: ('añto) /'abto, -pt-/
apto˚ (do◊'tøR) /òog'toR, -k't-/ doctor˚ (&oñte'n™R) /obte'neR/ obtener˚ (&a‡ki'RiR) /aòki'RiR/ ad¢irir˚ (&aBƒi'kaR) /abòi'kaR/ abdicar˚ (&aƒBeR'tiR) /aòbeR'tiR/ advertir˚ (&ekliñ'ßaR)i (-s-)a /eklib'saR, -p's-/ eclipsar˚ (&kon†eñ'†jøn)i (-señ'sjøn)a /kon†eb'†jon, -p'†-/
concepción˚ (&ßuB-,u'ŸaR)i (s-)a /subJu'gaR/ subyugar˚ (&aƒ-,a'†™nte)i (-s-)a /aòJa'†ente/
adyacente˚ (a◊'†jøn)i (-s-)a /ag'†jon, ak-/ acción˚ (e◊'ßa;men)i (-s-)a /eg'samen, ek-/ examen˚ (aB&neŸa'†jøn)i (-sjøn)a /abnega'†jon/ abnegación˚ (aƒ'møßfeRa)i (-s-)a /aò'mosfeRa, at'm-/ atmósfera˚ (&aƒmi'Ra;Ble) /aòmi'Rable/ admirable˚ ('t™Ÿnika, -«n-)
/'tegnika, -kn-/ técnica˚ ('diŸno, -«no) /'òigno/ digno˚ (&ßuBma'Ri;no) /subma'Rino/
submarino÷ (fully voiced or, respectively, voiceless) stop realizations are typical of
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emphasis — attention (to spelling).
Lastly, we see some cases of complex consonant clusters: (oñß'ta;kulo)i (-s-)a /obs'takulo/ obstáculo˚ (a‡ß'kRi;to)i (-s-)a /aòs'kRito/ adscrito˚ (ko«ß'tante)i (-s-)a /kons'tante/
constante˘
Stress
6.3.2.1. Spanish spelling is quite satisfactory regarding the indication of word
stress; however, some doubts remain concerning clusters of graphic VV˚ above all
with i˚ u÷ furthermore, there are possible oscillations, and di‡erences with respect
to Portuguese or Italian.
˛e position of stress is distinctive (and we can also find threefold phonemic
contrasts, the first of which are nouns, indicated graphically too), as in: ('a;nimo)
/'animo/ ánimo˚ (a'ni;mo) /a'nimo/ animo and (&ani'mø) /ani'mo/ animó; (kon'ti;nwo) /kon'tinwo/ continuo˚ (&konti'nuo) /konti'nuo/ continùo and (&konti'nwø)
/konti'nwo/ continuó; ('li;mite) /'limite/ lìmite˚ (li'mi;te) /li'mite/ limite˚ (&limi't™)
/limi'te/ limité÷ (de'pø;ßito)i (-s-)a /òe'posito/ depósito˚ (&depo'ßi;to)i (-s-)a /òepo'sito/
deposito˚ (de&poßi'tø)i (-s-)a /òeposi'to/ depositó˘
For stress oscillations, some examples follow: acné˚ acne÷ aeróstato˚ aerostato÷
ambrosìa˚ ambrosia÷ atmósfera˚ atmosfera÷ a¨triaco˚ a¨trìaco÷ bala¨tre˚ balaùstre÷
cartomancia˚ cartomancìa (but only farmacia]÷ cìclope˚ ciclope÷ conclave˚ cónclave÷
dinamo˚ dìnamo÷ elixir˚ elìxir÷ etìope˚ etiope (but only miope]÷ gladìolo˚ gladiolo÷
ìbero˚ ibero÷ m¤il˚ mìsil÷ olimpiada˚ olimpìada÷ orgìa˚ orgia÷ ósmos¤˚ osmos¤÷ pelìcano˚ pelicano÷ pensil˚ pénsil÷ pentagrama˚ pentágrama÷ perìodo˚ periodo÷ policromo˚ polìcromo÷ polìgloto˚ poligloto÷ radar˚ rádar÷ reptil˚ réptil÷ reuma˚ reùma÷ termostato˚ termóstato÷ utopìa˚ utopia÷ varicπ˚ váricπ˘
6.3.2.2. Lexical compounds and adverbs ending in -mente˚ keep quite a strong
stress even on the first element (according to the scale: ('), (“), (&)): (“køRta'Bølßaß)i
(-sas)a /'koRta'bolsas/ cortabolsø (Ô (&koRta'ƒø;Ra) /koRta'òoRa/ cortadora), (“i˙ka'pj™)
/'inka'pje/ hincapié˚ (“entRe'ƒøß)i (-s)a /'entRe'òos/ entredós (Ô (&entRe'ƒøfi mu'Ca;Coß)i
(-os)a /entRe'òos mu'cacos/ entre dos mu>a>os), (r:e&al'm™nte) /r:e'al'mente/ realmente˚ (&beRƒa“ƒ™Ra'm™nte) /beRòa'òeRa'mente/ verdaderamente˚ (“fa†il'm™nte)i (-s-)a
/'fa†il'mente/ fácilmente˘ Also: (“tøƒa'Bia) /'toòa'bia/ todavìa˚ (a&ßi'mifimo)i (a&si'mis-)a /a'si'mismo/ øim¤mo (as can be seen in the last example, if a first /'/ is immediately followed by another /'/, it becomes (&); on the other hand, however, if the
form were with only one /'/, ç/asi'mismo/Ç, we should have ç(&aßi'mifimo)i (&asi'mis-)aÇ).
To begin to acknowledge the di‡erent stress patterns, compared –for instance–
to Italian, we give some useful examples: (final stressed) acentùo˚ amplìo˚ varìo˚
(stressed on the last but one syllable) abdico˚ altero˚ animo˚ celebro˚ certifico˚ computo˚ convoco˚ denomino˚ deposito˚ d¤puto˚ edifico˚ indico˚ integro˚ interrogo˚ limito˚ medito˚ modifico˚ modulo˚ penetro˚ significo /signi'fiko/, termino˚ venero˚ violo
/'bjolo/, v¤ito /bi'sito/, limpio /'limpjo/. Furthermore: (a'n™;mja) /a'nemja/ anemia˚
(bi'Ÿa;mja) /bi'gamja/ bigamia˚ (&kaRam'bø;la) /kaRam'bola/ carambola˚ (diß'pu;ta)i
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(-s-)a /òis'puta/ d¤puta˚ (e'l™;na) /e'lena/ Elena˚ (en&†iklo'p™;ƒja)i (-&si-)a /en†iklo'peòja/ enciclopedia˚ (faR'ma;†ja)i (-s-)a /faR'ma†ja/ farmacia˚ ('mjø;pe) /'mjope/
miope˚ (pa'Rø;ƒja) /pa'Roòja/ parodia˚ (te'Ra;pja) /te'Rapja/ terapia÷ obviously, forms
such as (a'p™ndi†e)i (-se)a /a'pendi†e/ apéndice are less risky, at least when reading.
Let us also note: (r:a'†øn)i (-s-)a /r:a'†on/ razón˚ (r:a'†ø;neß)i (-'sø;nes)a /r:a'†ones/
razonπ˚ ('biRXen)i (-x-)a /'biRxen/ virgen˚ ('biRXeneß)i (-xenes)a /'biRxenes/ vìrgenπ˚
and lastly: (ka'Ra◊teR) /ka'RagteR, -kt-/ carácter˚ (&kaRa◊'t™;Reß)i (-s)a /kaRag'teRes, -k't-/
caracterπ˚ ('r:™;Ximen)i (-x-)a /'r:eximen/ régimen˚ (r:e'Xi;meneß)i (-x-, -s)a /r:e'ximenes/ regìmenπ˘
6.3.2.3. Even in Spanish, in connected speech, there are normally words which
are destressed; the articles are among these: (e'lømbRe) /e'lombRe/ el hombre˚ (&elal'kalde) /elal'kalde/ el alcalde˚ (la'ka;ßa)i (-sa)a /la'kasa/ la cøa˚ (laß'Ci;kaß)i (-s'Ci;kas)a
/las'cikas/ lø >icø˚ (&una'mi;Ÿo) /una'migo/ un amigo˚ (&unaß'tR™inta peR'ßø;naß)i
(&unas-, -'sø;nas)a /unas'tReinta peR'sonas/ unø treinta personø˘
We then have forms (plurisyllabic too), such as salvo˚ excepto˚ mediante˚ durante÷ and phrases such as rπpecto a˚ junto a˚ encima de˚ delante de\ (a'ma;laŸa) /a'malaga/ a Málaga˚ (ko'n™;La)i (-,a)a /ko'neLa/ con eıa˚ (&empa'Riß)i (-s)a /empa'Ris/ en
Parìs˚ (&ßinßom'bR™;Ro)i (&sinsom-)a /sinsom'bReRo/ sin sombrero˚ (&ante'tø;ƒo) /ante'toòo/ ante todo˚ (&baXolo'ßaRBoleß)i (-xolo's-, -es)a /baxolo'saRboles/ bajo los árbolπ˚
(&kontRa&mißa'mi;Ÿoß)i (-sa'mi;Ÿos)a /kontRamisa'migos/ contra m¤ amigos˚ (&defiƒe'øi)i (-z-)a /òesòe'oi/ dπde hoy˚ (&entRelo'ßø;Xoß)i (-'sø;xos)a /entRelo'soxos/ entre los ojos˘
Furthermore: (&aßta'ki, -Fa-, -aa-)i (&as-)a /astaa'ki/ høta a¢ì˚ (&a†jael'pw™Rto,
-†jFel-)i (-sj-)a /a†jael'pweRto/ hacia el puerto˚ (&paRa&nweßtRofi'w™ßpeƒeß)i (-stRos'w™speƒes)a /paRanwestRos'wespeòes/ para nuπtros huéspedπ˚ (&ßoBRel'ßø;BRe)i (&soBRel's-)a
/sobReel'sobRe/ sobre el sobre˚ (e◊&†eñto'ƒøß)i (-&señto'ƒøs)a /eg†ebto'òos, ek†epto-/
excepto dos˚ (&Xuntoala'pw™Rta, -tja-)i (&xu-)a /xuntoala'pweRta/ junto a la puerta˘
Also: (en&†ima&ƒela'ka;ßa)i (-si-, -sa)a /en†imaòela'kasa/ encima de la cøa˚ (de&lanteƒe'mi) /òelanteòe'mi/ delante de mì˘ Even in more or less long series: (&paRa&entReno'ßø;tRoß, pa&RFen-)i (-'sø;tRos)a /paRaentReno'sotRos/ para entre nosotros˚ (&poRen&†imaƒe'tø;ƒo)i (-'si-)a /poRen†imaòe'toòo/ por encima de todo˚ (&poRƒe&lante&ƒelXaR'ƒin)i (-x-)a /poRòelanteòelxaR'òin/ por delante del jardìn˚ (&defiƒepo&RentRelo'ßaRBoleß)i (&dez-, -'saRBoles)a /òesòepoRentRelo'saRboles/ dπde por entre los árbolπ˘
Generally, conjunctions too are destressed (even in phrases, such as en cuanto
(¢e)˚ puπto ¢e˚ supuπto ¢e), except with ora˚ ya˚ bien (disjunctive), øì (consecutive), no obstante˚ con todo˚ fuera de (adversative), en efecto˚ por tanto˚ por consi%iente˚ øì ¢e (consecutive), apenø˚ aùn no˚ no bien˚ ya ¢e˚ luego ¢e˚ dπpués
¢e˚ en tanto ¢e (temporal), a no ser ¢e˚ dado ¢e˚ con tal ¢e (conditional), por
más ¢e˚ a pπar de ¢e˚ mal ¢e˚ ya ¢e (concessive), (&pweßtoke&noloßa'Bia)i (-sto-,
-sa-)a /pwestokenolosa'bia/ puπto ¢e no lo sabìa˘ At the beginning of elliptic questions y is stressed: (¿'i tuçpa;ƒRe21)i (-'pa;-)a /¿'i tu'paòRe?/ ¿Y tu padre?
6.3.2.4. It will not be superfluous to observe that there is a di‡erence, in stress
too, between: (e&koße'Ca;ƒo)i (-s-)a /ekose'caòo/ he cose>ado and ('™;ko ßo'nø;Ro) /'e-
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ko so'noRo/ eco sonoro˚ (&aLe'Ÿa;ƒo)i (&a,-)a /aLe'gaòo/ ha ıegado and ('a;No 'ma;lo) /'aNo 'malo/ año malo˚ (&eßto'ma;ƒo)i (&es-)a /esto'maòo/ π tomado and ('™ßto 'pi;ƒo)i
('™s-)a /'esto 'piòo/ πto pido˚ (ßo&naƒmi'Ra;ƒoß)i (s-, -s)a /sonaòmi'Raòos/ son admirados and ('ßø naRmo'njø;ßo)i ('s-, -so)a /'so naRmo'njoso/ son armonioso˘
Object pronouns are destressed, la˚ le˚ lo˚ lø˚ lπ˚ los˚ me˚ nos˚ os˚ se˚ te\ (me'pa;Ro
ami'RaR, me'pa; Rja-) /me'paRo ami'RaR/ me paro a mirar˚ (ofi'Bi;mofi Be'niR)i (oz'Bi;moz)a /os'bimos be'niR/ os vimos venir˚ (ße&leßpeR'ƒjø)i (se&les-)a /selespeR'òjo/ se lπ
perdió÷ instead, subject pronouns and indirect pronouns are stressed:('›ø 'ß™)i ('s™)a
/'Jo 'se/ yo sé˚ ('tu 'pw™;ƒeß)i (-s)a /'tu 'pweòes/ tù puedπ˚ ('™l 'di;†e)i (-se)a /'el 'di†e/ él
dice˚ (poR'mi) /poR'mi/ por mì˚ (&paRa'ti) /paRa'ti/ para ti˘
Possessive adjectives are destressed: (&mißeR'ma;noß)i (-se-, -os)a /miseR'manos/ m¤
hermanos˚ (tu'ßø;Xoß)i (-'sø;xos)a /tu'soxos/ t¨ ojos˚ (ßu'ma;ƒRe)i (s-)a /su'maòRe/ su
madre˚ (&nweßtRo'tj™mpo)i (-s-)a /nwestRo'tjempo/ nuπtro tiempo˘
Generally demonstrative adjectives, are destressed (but, from a pragmatic point
of view, they can be considered potentially stressable): (&eßte'li;BRo, “™ß-)i (-s-)a /este'libRo/ πte libro˚ (&eße'p™Rr:o, “™-) /ese'peRr:o/ πe perro˚ (a&keLamu'X™R, a“k™-)i (-,amu'x-)a /akeLamu'xeR/ a¢eıa mujer˘
6.3.2.5. Relative pronouns [¢e˚ ¢ien{π}˚ cual{π}˚ cuyo{s}] are destressed (contrary to interrogative and exclamatory ones): (e'lømbRe ke'Bi;moß)i (-s)a /e'lombRe
ke'bimos/ el hombre ¢e vimos˚ (e˙&ku,o'ka;ßo)i (-so)a /enkuJo'kaso/ en cuyo cøo÷
cual˚ cualπ (with the article) and tal˚ talπ are stressed: ('t™˙go uneR'ma;no2 el'kwaL
'L™;Ÿa 'øi2 ke)i (-L ',-)a /'tengo u'neRmano, el'kwal 'Lega 'oi/ tengo un hermano, el cual
ıega hoy, ¢e…˚ (le'ƒi;Xo 'tal 'kø;ßa)i (-xo, -sa)a /le'òixo 'tal 'kosa/ le dijo tal cosa˘
Relative adverbs [como˚ cuando˚ cuanto˚ donde] are also destressed, contrary to
interrogative and exclamatory ones: (&kwandoe'laiRe ße'kalma, -dje-) /kwandoe'laiRe se'kalma/ cuando el aire se calma˚ (la'pla;†a &ƒondeß&tatu'ka;ßa)i (-sa, -s&t-, -sa)a /la'pla†a òondeestatu'kasa/ la plaza donde πtá tu cøa˘
‹ereas the indefinites [algo˚ algùn˚ al%no˚ al%ien˚ nadie˚ ningùn˚ nin%no˚ otro] are stressed, cada generally is not: (&kaƒa'ƒia) /kaòa'òia/ cada dìa˘ Even tan is
not stressed, contrary to tanto˚ tanta˘
‹en used as conjunctions, the following adverbs are destressed: luego˚ mientrø˚ aùn (which becomes /'aun/), más˚ menos˚ cøi÷ the adverb medio is too (contrary to its corresponding adjective).
6.3.2.6. ˛e forms of çtratamientoÇ, don˚ doña˚ fray˚ sor˚ san˚ santo˚ santa˚ are always destressed before a name: (do˙'kaRloß)i (-s)a /òon'kaRlos/ don Carlos˚ (&doNaƒo'lø;Reß)i (-s)a /òoNaòo'loRes/ doña Dolorπ˚ (&ßantoƒo'mi˙go)i (&s-)a /santoòo'mingo/
santo Domingo÷ vocative forms are destressed too, señor˚ señora˚ señorita˚ padre˚ madre˚ hermano˚ hermana˚ tìo˚ tìa\ (ße&NoRmaR'ti;ne†)i (s-, -s)a /seNoRmaR'tine†/ señor
Martìnez˚ (ße&NoRama'Ria)i (s-)a /seNoRama'Ria/ señora Marìa˚ (&paƒRean'dR™ß, -ƒRãan-)i
(-s)a /paòRean'dRes/ padre Andrés˚ (tio'Xwan)i (-x-)a /tio'xwan/ tìo Juan÷ however,
when not used in forms of çtratamientoÇ, we have the regular: (&una'ßanta mu'X™R)i
(-s-, -x-)a /una'santa mu'xeR/ una santa mujer˚ ('bi;no elße'NøR maR'ti;ne†)i (-s-, -s)a /'bino else'NoR maR'tine†/ vino el señor Martìnez˚ (aeß'kRi;to el'tio 'Xwan)i (aes-, 'x-)a /aes-
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'kRito el'tio 'xwan/ ha πcrito el tìo Juan˘
Even in vocative phrases, there is destressing: (bwe'nømbRe) /bwe'nombRe/ ¡buen
hombre!˚ (&mala'l™˙gwa) /mala'lengwa/ ¡mala len%a!˚ (gRam'pi;kaRo) /gRam'pikaRo/
¡gran pìcaro!˚ (djofi'mio)i (-s-)a /djos'mio/ ¡Dios mìo!
Even in compound names (of people or places), there is attenuation of the first
element: (Xwa˙'kaRloß)i (x-, -s)a /xwan'kaRlos/ Juan Carlos˚ (ma&RiaXo'ß™;fa)i (-xo's-)a
/ma&Riaxo'sefa/ Marìa Josefa˚ (&ßantoƒo'mi˙go)i (&s-)a /santoòo'mingo/ Santo Domingo˚ (&toRr:eƒel'kønde) /toRr:eòel'konde/ Torre del Conde˘
6.3.2.7. Certain common phrases are also destressed: (&boka'BaXo)i (-xo)a /boka'baxo/ boca abajo˚ (&pataßaR'r:i;Ba) /patasaR'r:iba/ patø arriba˘
In numbers formed with y˚ the first element is destressed: (&tReintai'†i˙ko)i (-'s-)a
/tReintai'†inko/ treinta y cinco˚ (kwa&Rentai'ßj™;te)i (-'s-)a /kwaRentai'sjete/ cuarenta y
siete÷ also cien(to) before mil is destressed: (†jeN'mil, -M'm-, -º'm-, -M'm-, -∫'m-)i
('s-)a /†jen'mil/ cien mil˚ (&oCo&†jentafi'mil pe'ß™;taß)i (-&sj-, -as-, -'s™;tas)a /oco†jentas'mil pe'setas/ o>ocientø mil pπetø˘ Simple numbers are stressed, even if monosyllabic and near a stress: ('døfi 'Ÿa;toß)i (-z 'Ÿa;tos)a /'òos 'gatos/ dos gatos˚ ('tR™ß
ka'Ba;Loß)i (-s ka'Ba;,os)a /'tRes ka'baLos/ trπ cabaıos˚ ('un 'li;BRo) /'un 'libRo/ un libro
(compared to the article: (un'li;BRo) /un'libRo/ un libro).
6.3.2.8. Obviously in long words, as in sentences, some secondary stresses are
introduced, for rhythmic reasons: ('kømpRame&lo) /'kompRamelo/ cómpramelo˚ (a'Na;ƒaße&le)i (-s-)a /a'Naòasele/ añádøele˚ (&entRe'Ÿandoße&lo)i (-s-)a /entRe'gandoselo/
entregándoselo˘
Words such as aun¢e˚ con¢e˚ por¢e˚ sino˚ are normally /'aunke, a'unke÷ 'konke÷ 'poRke÷ 'sino/, however, in sentences, their composition can also bring to stress
patterns such as: (&au˙ke, a&u˙ke, au˙&ke, au˙'k™÷ &ko˙ke, ko˙&ke, ko˙'k™÷ &poRke,
poR&ke, poR'k™÷ &ßino, ßi&no, ßi'nø)i (s-)a, although, they are often considered incorrect, for spelling reasons.
Emphasis, particularly in imperatives with enclitic pronouns, can modify the
structure considerably (above all, for stresses), as in: ('da;melo, "da:melo, "da;me&lo,
"da;me'lø, 'da;me'lø, &dame'lø) /'òamelo/ ¡dámelo!
6.3.2.9. ˛e words (a'ø;Ra) /a'oRa/ ahora˚ (a'i) /a'i/ ahì˚ (a'un) /a'un/ aùn/aun˚
when they are not in an intoneme and are linked to what follows, have the frequent variants ('aoRa, 'ai, 'aun): (a'ø;Ra 'Bj™;ne, 'aoRa) /a'oRa 'bjene/ ahora viene˚ (a'i
eß'ta, 'ai)i (-s-)a /a'i es'ta/ ahì πtá˚ (a'um mi 'pa;ƒRe, 'aum) /a'un mi'paòRe/ aun mi padre˚ (a'un no'ßale, 'au)i (-s-)a /a'un no'sale/ aùn no sale˘
In the case of /'jé[s]ò/, in an intoneme (more often when followed by a pause), it
is quite frequent to find, even in the neutral accent, a pronunciation which, often,
seems as if it were ç/'ié[s]ò/Ç, while, it is generally only /i'é[s]ò/: (paR'tjø, &paRti'ø)
/par'tjo/ partió˚ (a'ƒjøß, &aƒi'øß)i (-s)a /a'òjos/ adiós˚ (lim'pj™, &limpi'™) /lim'pje/
limpié˚ (em'pj™, &empi'™) /em'pje/ en pie÷ however, occasionally, we can doubtlessly have the structure ('i&é), even in neutral pronunciation: (paR'ti&ø, a'ƒi&øß, lim'pi&™,
em'pi&™)i (-s)a.
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6.3.2.10. In fast and familiar speech, common words and proper names in a preintoneme with ('ia) /'ia/ ìa frequently become ('ja) /'ja/: (al'dia ßi'Ÿj™nte, al'dja, al&djaßi'-) /al'dia si'gjente/ al dìa si%iente˚ ('pø;kofi 'ƒiafi ƒeß'pw™ß, 'ƒjafi, 'pø;kofi&ƒjafi)i
(-z, -z, -s-, -s)a /'pokos 'òias òes'pwes/ pocos dìø dπpués˚ (ßu'tia ƒo'lø;Reß, ßu'tja, ßu&tjaƒo'-)i (s-, -s)a /su'tia òo'loRes/ su tìa Dolorπ˚ (&doNama'Ria maR'ti;ne†, &doNama'Rja, &doNama&RjamaR'-)i (-s)a /doNama'Ria maR'tine†/ doña Marìa Martìnez˚ (gaR'†ia Ÿu'tj™Rr:e†, gaR'†ja, gaR&†jaŸu'-)i (-s-, -s)a /gaR'†ia gu'tjeRr:e†/ Garcìa Gutiérrez˚ (&noßeR'Bia
paRa'na;ƒa, -'Bja, -&BjapaRa'-)i (-s-)a /noseR'bia paRa'naòa/ no servìa para nada˘
Other examples: (ßea&Bia'pw™ßto ƒe'pj™, ßea&Bja'-, ßãa-)i (s-)a /seabia'pwesto òe'pje/
se habìa puπto de pie˚ (&eßta'Ria˙ kan'ßaƒoß, -'Rja˙, -&Rja˙kan'-)i (&es-, 'sa;ƒos)a /esta'Rian
kan'saòos/ πtarìan cansados˚ (&nopo'ƒRiaN Le'Ÿa; Ra'tj™mpo, -'ƒRjaN, -&ƒRjaNLe'-)i (,-)a
/nopo'òRian Le'gaR a'tjempo/ no podrìan ıegar a tiempo˘
Intonation
6.3.3. û 6.3 shows the preintonemes and intonemes of the neutral Iberian and
American Spanish language. ˛erefore, let us simply look at the fundamental examples. It is important to make comparisons both between them and with those
of other languages:
/./: (me'Bøi ma'Na;na poR&lama'Na;na3 3)i (me'Bøi ma'Na;na poR&lamaÇNa;na3 3)a /me'boi ma'Nana poRlama'Nana./ Me voy mañana por la mañana.
û 6.3. Iberian-Spanish preintonemes and intonemes.
/ / (2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/./ (2 ' 3 3)
/¿ / (¿ 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/?/ (2 ç 2 1)
/¡ / (¡ 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/÷/ (2 ' 1 1)
/˚ / (˚ 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/,/ (2 ' 2)
û 6.4. American-Spanish preintonemes and intonemes.
/ / (2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/./ (2 Ç 3 3)
/¿ / (¿ 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/?/ (2 ' 2 1)
/¡ / (¡ 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/÷/ (2 Ì 2 2)
/˚ / (˚ 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2 2 ' 2)
/,/ (2 ' 2)
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/?/: (¿eß'ta nuß't™;ƒeß konçt™ntoß21)i (¿es'ta nus't™;ƒes kon't™ntos21)a /¿es'ta nus'teòes
kon'tentos?/ ¿Están ¨tedπ contentos?
/÷/: (&ßima'Na;na &noRr:e'†i;Bo no'ti;†ja1 1| leß&kRiBi'R™ ƒe'nw™;Bo3 3)i (&sima'Na;na &noRr:e'si;Bo noÌti;sja2 2| les&kRiBi'R™ ƒeÇnw™;Bo3 3)a /sima'Nana noRre'†ibo no'ti†ja÷| leeskRibi'Re
òe'nwebo./ Si mañana no recibo noticia, le πcribiré de nuevo.
Text
6.4.0. ˛e transcribed passage, †e North Wind and the Sun˚ is given in four
çnormalizedÇ versions. We start with the (neutral) Iberian pronunciation of (neutral British) English – this is the first step of the phonetic method (the written text
is given in § 2.5.2.0). ˛e Spanish translation follows, in its neutral version.
At the end, as always, there is the version which gives the English pronunciation of Spanish, by neutral British speakers, fluent in Spanish (after prolonged contact with native speakers, but with no help from the phonetic method), who have
adequately learned the relative prominences, but who substantially use segmental
and intonation elements which are typical of neutral British English (for reference
purposes, although, of course, a neutral accent is not so common). Obviously, the
same principle is valid for the foreign pronunciation of English, given first.
Speakers of American English could prepare their own version both of the Spanish pronunciation of English and of their pronunciation of Spanish, as an excellent exercise, by listening to native speakers, best of all after recording them. Of
course, speakers of other languages could do the same thing. ˛e author would be
happy to receive their transcriptions and recordings, both in case of help –should
they need it– and to make their contribution known to others (possibly in our
website on canIPA Natural Phonetics – Ô § 0.12).
Iberian Spanish pronunciation (of English)
6.4.1. (de'nøR† 'wind2 ande'ßan2 w™Rdi'ßpju;tin˙ 'gwiC wøfiƒeß'tRø˙geR3 3| 'w™n a'tRa;BeleR2 'k™im a'lø˙g2 ì'r:añ tina'wøRm 'kløuk3 3œ| d™ia'ŸRi{ƒ}2\ ƒaƒi'wa˙ xu'f™R ßa◊'ßi;ƒeƒ2 iN'm™ikin de'tRa;BeleR2 't™i kiß'køu 'køf1 1| &ßjuBikan'ßi;ƒeR ƒeß"tRø˙geR &ƒandi'aƒeR3 3||
'd™n2 de'nøR† 'win2 'blu2 aß'xaR2 ƒaßi'ku‡3 3| &ba{‡}ƒe'møR xi'Blu1 1| de'møR 'kløufili2 &ƒiƒe'tRa;BeleR2\ 'føul diß'kløuk a'Rau˙xin3 3| ì&an[d]a‡'laß{t}2œ\ de'nøR† 'win˙2 'g™i 'Bañ ƒja't™mt3 3|| ì'd™n2œ de'ßan 'ßjø 'naut3 3 ì'wøRmli3 3œ| &andi'mi;ƒja‡li2\ ˚de'tRa;BeleR 'tu 'køf3 3 ˚xiß'køuk3 3|| ìan'ßøu2œ ƒe'nøR† 'win{d}2 &wøßo'Blaiß tukoM'f™ß2| &daƒe'ßan3 3 wøfiƒeß'tRø˙geR3 3
ì&øBƒe'tu3 3œ||
¿&diƒjuçlaik21 ¿deß'tø;Ri2| ¿dju'wøn tu'xi;Ri ta矙n21|||)
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Spanish Text
6.4.2. El viento norte y el sol porfiaban sobre cuál de eıos era el más fuerte, cuando acertó a pøar un viajero envuelto en an>a capa. Convinieron en ¢e ¢ien antπ
lograra obligar al viajero a ¢itarse la capa serìa considerado más poderoso.
El viento norte sopló con gran furia, pero cuanto más soplaba, más se arrebujaba
en su capa el viajero; por fin el viento norte abandonó la emprπa. Entoncπ briıó el
sol con ardor, e inmediatamente se dπpojó de su capa el viajero; por lo ¢e el viento
norte hubo de reconocer la superioridad del sol.
¿Te ha %stado el cuento? ¿Vamos a repetirlo?
Neutral Iberian pronunciation
6.4.3. (el'Bj™nto 'nøRte2 jel'ßøl2\ poR'fja;Ban2 &ßoBRe'kwal 'd™;Loß2\ &eRael'maß 'fw™Rte3 3|
&kwandoa†eR'tø apa'ßa; Rumbja'X™;Ro2 em'bw™lto e'na~Ca 'ka;pa3 3| &kombi'nj™;Ron2 e˙&kekje'nantefi lo'ŸRa;Ra2 oBli'Ÿa; RalBja'X™;Ro2 aki'taRße la'ka;pa1 1| ße'Ria kon&ßiƒe'Ra;ƒo2
'maß poƒe'Rø;ßo3 3||
el'Bj™nto 'nøRte2\ ßo'plø ko˙'gRaM2 'fu;Rja3 3| &peRo'kwanto 'maß ßo'pla;Ba1 1| 'maß ßãaR&r:eBu'Xa;Ba2 enßu'ka;pa3 3 ì[e]lBja'X™;Ro3 3œ|| poR'fin2\ el'Bj™nto 'nøRte2 a&Bando'nø lFem'pR™;ßa3 3|| en'tøn†efi1 1\ BRi'Lø el'ßøl3 3 ìkonaR'ƒøR3 3œ| eiNme“ƒjata'm™nte2 ˚ße&ƒeßpo'Xø3 3 ˚ƒeßu'ka;pa3 3 ì[e]lBja'X™;Ro3 3œ|| &poRlo&kel'Bj™nto 'nøRte1 1\ 'u;Bo ƒeR&r:ekono'†™R3 3 la&ßupe&RjoRi'ƒaƒ ƒel'ßøl3 3||
¿&tãaŸußçta;ƒo21 ¿el'kw™nto2| ¿'ba;mo ßaR&r:epeçtiRlo21|||)
Neutral (central-south-) American pronunciation
6.4.4. (el'Bj™nto 'nøRte2 jel'søl2\ poR'fja;Ban2 &soBRe'kwal 'd™;,os2\ &eRael'mas Çfw™Rte3 3|
&kwandoaseR'tø apa'sa; Rumbja'x™;Ro2 em'bw™lto e'na~Ca Çka;pa3 3| &kombi'nj™;Ron2 e˙&kekje'nantes lo'ŸRa;Ra2 oBli'Ÿa; RalBja'x™;Ro2 aki'taRse laÌka;pa2 2| se'Ria kon&siƒe'Ra;ƒo2
'mas poƒeÇRø;so3 3||
el'Bj™nto 'nøRte2\ so'plø ko˙'gRaM2 Çfu;Rja3 3| &peRo'kwanto 'mas soÌpla;Ba2 2| 'mas sãaR&r:eBu'xa;Ba2 ensuÇka;pa3 3 ì[e]lBjaÇx™;Ro3 3œ|| poR'fin2\ el'Bj™nto 'nøRte2 a&Bando'nø lFemÇpR™;sa3 3|| enÌtønses2 2\ BRi',ø elÇsøl3 3 ìkonaRǃøR3 3œ| eiNme“ƒjata'm™nte2 ˚se&ƒespoÇxø3 3
˚ƒesuÇka;pa3 3 ì[e]lBjaÇx™;Ro3 3œ|| &poRlo&kel'Bj™nto ÌnøRte2 2\ 'u;Bo ƒeR&r:ekonoÇs™R3 3 la&supe&RjoRi'ƒaƒ ƒelÇsøl3 3||
¿&tãaŸus'ta;ƒo21 ¿el'kw™nto2| ¿'ba;mo saR&r:epe'tiRlo21|||)
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English pronunciation of Spanish
6.4.5. (&™ıvi5™nT‘¨ 'nø;T™I2 i™ı'sø:ı2\ &phø;fi'A;vån2 5sø;b>™I 'khwA:ı 'D™¬jØs2\ &™>Èı5mås f¯'™‘T™I3 3| 5khwA;nD‘¨ ås™‘'Th‘;¨ A;pÈ'sA: ¯uMviÈ'h™‘>‘¨2 &™Mv¯5™ıT‘¨ ™n'A;~cû
'khA;på3 3| &khØMv¤ni'™‘>Øn2 ™˙5kh™;I ki'™n 'A;nT™s lû'g>A;>È2 &Øbl¤5gA:> åıviÈ'h™‘>‘¨2 ûk¤5ThA;s™I lû'khA;på2| sÈ5>Iiû kûn&s¤DÈ'>A;D‘¨2 5mås pØDÈ'>‘¨s‘¨3 3||
&™ıvi5™nT‘¨ 'nø;T™I2\ sÈ5phl‘;¨ kû˙'g>A;M2 'f¨È>iå3 3| 5ph™‘>‘¨ 'khwA;T‘¨ 'mås sÈ'phlA;vå32| 5mås siÈ>¤b¨'hA;vå2 ™ns¯u'khA;på3 3 ì&™ıviÈ'h™‘>‘¨3 3œ|| phø;'fI;in2\ &™ıvi5™nT‘¨
'nø;T™I2 È&bånDÈ5n‘;¨ lA;¤m'ph>™så3 3|| ™n'Thø;ns¤s32\ b>¤5j‘;¨ ™ı'sø:ı3 3 ìkhØnA;'Dø:3 3œ| &™Inm¤Di&A;TÈ'm™nT™I2 ˚s™I&D™spÈ'h‘;¨3 3 ˚D¤s¯u'khA;på3 3 ì&™ıviÈ'h™‘>‘¨3 3œ|| &phø;lû5kh™;I ™ıvi'™nT‘¨ 'nø;T™I32\ 5¯uv‘¨ D¤&>™kûnÈ's™;‘3 3 lÈ&s¯upÈ>iÈ>¤5DA;D D™ı'sø:ı3 3||
¿&Th™Iûg¨'sTA;D‘¨21 &™ı'khw™nT‘¨2 ¿5vA;mØs È&>™pÈ'Th¤Èl‘¨21|||)