Andean Spanish
dialect
Andean Spanish (Spanish: Español andino) is a dialect of Spanish spoken in the central Andes, from southern Colombia, with influence as far south as northern Chile and Northwestern Argentina, passing through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. While similar to other Spanish dialects, Andean Spanish shows influence from Quechua, Aymara, and other indigenous languages, due to prolonged and intense language contact. This influence is especially strong in rural areas.
Phonology
In Andean Spanish, the /s/ is never aspirated in the final position and so is pronounced [s], not [h]. In northern Chile, syllable-final /s/ is mostly aspirated.
In parts of highland Peru, especially Cusco and Puno, /s/ is sometimes pronounced apical, rather than laminal.
As in all Latin American dialects of Spanish, Andean Spanish has seseo (/θ/ is not distinguished from /s/). Thus, casa ("house") and caza ("hunt") are homophones. However, in Cusco Region and Cajamarca, many speakers realize /s/ as [θ] in many words, particularly in once, doce, trece. Seseo is common to all of America, the Canary Islands, and several areas in southern Spain.
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