The need for an aspirated /h/ sound in Spanish ...
Does anyone else see the inconsistencies? They continue to validate the many questions about the Dominican vernacular that surface time and time again. Speculation just does not hold water in these examples. For those learning Spanish, be careful with these regionalisms and local orthographic spelling of words.
1/ * the /h/ from some indigenous words are spelt with /j/ in many cases. An example from the thread is hamaca ----> jamaca.
2/ * there are two spellings in the DR and meanings of hablador, one which is the standard and the regional version, jablador with its own meaning.
3/ * In the Puerto Rican vernacular
'janguear' the verb and the noun
'el jangueo' was invented from the English word/ verb 'to hang out'. Here the key factor is the /h/ in English which is phonetically pronounced needs a phonetic equivalent in Spanish which is /j/ or a soft /g/ as in the word 'general' in Spanish.
How do examples 1 and 2 relate to 3? + why the (need for) the pronunciation of an aspirated /h/ sound by some Spanish speakers. In the Caribbean one will observe this phenomenon in Puerto Rico and the DR but what about Cuba? and does anyone think the average Cuban would write any of the above mentioned words with a /j/?
- these changes in spelling from the standard obviously have more than a few people questioning the logic which in itself shows that local variations in spelling and pronunciation are problematic.
- For those who justify the regional spelling, how do educators teach these variations in the classroom and what rules of orthography are given to explain to the student that
hablador is the correct spelling but 'jablador' is the way it's spelt in the DR. Since when is Spanish as a language taught at a local level with local variations?
There is an answer for the phonetic and spelling changes and who knows if these word variations will ever appear in the RAE because the approval process is extensive however, on a local level people could put whatever they want in print.
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in any case, i do not understand this lack of consistency beacuse dominicans will say hamburger/hotdog but onda - not honda. and all those words are borrowed from other languages...
Speakers will not say 'onda' with a pronounced /h/ because the word itself in correct spelling does not have an /h/. Focus on words both indigenous and borrowed that have a pronounced /h/ sound + the need for an aspirated /h/ when some speakers speak and you will be on your way to understanding the concept.
...and yes, I am being purposely evasive to get people to think about what they post.
-Marianopolita