| A dialect is defined in linguistic terms as a | | | | One of the main differences between the |
| language variety which is spoken in a | | | | dialects of Spain and those of Latin America |
| specific territory. In the Spanish peninsula, | | | | is the use of pronouns. Thus, in Spain, the |
| for example, there are different dialects of | | | | informal pronoun that has remained for the |
| Spanish. One should not, however, mix up the | | | | second person singular (in English "you") is |
| different dialects in Spain with the | | | | "tu". However, some Latin American countries, |
| different languages spoken in the Peninsula: | | | | (Argentina, Uruguay or Paraguay, for example) |
| Spanish, Catalan, Basque and Galician. | | | | have retained the pre-modern "vos". This |
| | | | leads to unique verb forms such as |
| The existence of dialects is a natural | | | | "¿entendes?" for "do you understand?" |
| consequence of the dynamism of languages. For | | | | instead of the peninsular "¿entiendes?" or |
| example, throughout its evolution, Spanish | | | | mixtures such as "¿Vos te marchas ya?" |
| has adopted unique characteristics in the | | | | Instead of "¿Tu te marchas ya?" (In |
| different places where it is spoken. Some of | | | | English, "are you leaving now?"). |
| the dialects of Spanish in Spain are canario | | | | |
| (from the Canary Islands), andaluz (from | | | | The plural "you" also varies, and thus in |
| Andalusia), and madrileno (from Madrid). The | | | | Spain people differentiate between an |
| different Spanish-speaking countries in Latin | | | | informal "vosotros" and a formal "ustedes", |
| America also present national and regional | | | | whereas this difference does not exist in |
| variations. Thus, we can speak of an | | | | Latin America at all. As for pronunciation |
| Argentinean, a porteno (from Buenos Aires | | | | differences, the only country where we can |
| city), a Chilean, or a Colombian dialect, | | | | find speakers who pronounce the letter "c" |
| among others. | | | | before "e" and "i" as the English "th" is |
| | | | Spain. In the rest of the countries, (and |
| The differences between dialects are usually | | | | also in the South of Spain) this "c" is |
| limited to intonation, pronunciation and | | | | pronounced as an "s". Try to pronounce the |
| isolated words and expressions. An example of | | | | word "cenicero" (ashtray) in both ways and |
| word variation within the Spanish peninsula | | | | you'll hear the difference! |
| is "candle". Candle is referred to as "vela" | | | | |
| in the northern and center parts of Spain, | | | | Even though dialects are socially valued |
| but as "candela" in the South. As for | | | | differently (Andalusian, for example, is |
| pronunciation, the word "Madrid" is | | | | perceived as less educated than Castilian), |
| pronounced in the capital of Spain as | | | | linguistically speaking all dialects are |
| "Madrith", whereas in the bilingual areas of | | | | equally valid. What we need to remember is |
| the East coast, and because of the contact | | | | that everyone speaks a dialect, and therefore |
| between Spanish and Catalan, it becomes | | | | dialects are NOT incorrect or less valid |
| "Madrit". In the South, however, people tend | | | | versions of a language. If you study Spanish |
| to eliminate the final consonant and say | | | | in Buenos Aires and interact -as you should- |
| "Madri". | | | | with locals, you will learn the |
| | | | particularities of that area. |