Extremaduran Language - Phonological Characteristics

Phonological Characteristics

In High Extremaduran

• Features related to Astur-Leonese:
  • Post-tonic o becomes u. Ex: oru
  • Post-tonic e becomes i. Ex: calli
  • Latin word-final e is not lost, but preserved (possibly shifted to i). Ex: redi
  • Some cases of palatalization of word-initial n. Ex: ñíu
  • Conservation of the consonantic group mb in intermediate position. Ex: lambel
  • Frequent conservation of word-initial derived from a Latin f-. This consonant is lost in most Spanish varieties, but is common with much of Andalusia. Ex: higu
  • Occasional conservation of word-initial f. Ex: fogarera

• Features related to southern peninsular Spanish:
  • General loss of intervocalic d. Ex: mieu.
  • Debuccalization of post-vocalic /s/ into (S-aspiration).

• Other features:
  • Infinitives in -l. Ex: dil.
  • Vocalic change from a to e. Ex: trebajal
  • Occasional maintenance of spirations lost in Spanish, in initial position. Ex: gelmanu
  • Metathesis of the consonant cluster rl into lr. Ex: chalral
  • Occasional interchange of the liquid consonants l/r. Ex: craru
  • Preservation of some old voiced fricatives, such as some instances of corresponding to in Spanish, or corresponding to in Spanish. This feature is an archaism preserved from Old Spanish or Old Asturleonese, as it only happens when etymologically justified. When a voiced fricative appears, one also does in languages such as Catalan or Portuguese: Extremaduran tristeza (still voiced in Portuguese tristeza, voice lost in Spanish tristeza ), but Extremaduran cabeça or (voiceless also in Portuguese cabeça, Spanish cabeza ). This feature is dying out quite fast, but it is found all over the High Extremaduran speaking area.