50 Examples of Linguistic Varieties in Colombia

Linguistic Varieties in Colombia

A linguistic variety or modality is a specific form that acquires a tongue natural or language, which depends on the geographical, social and age context of the speakers who use it. The dialects are the regional varieties or modalities in which a language is presented.

The linguistic varieties in Colombia There are more than sixty, between indigenous and Creole languages ​​spoken in local and regional settings. Their specific number is under discussion since certain authors consider as different languages ​​what others name as dialects of the same language. The best estimates count sixty-six indigenous languages, isolated or grouped into more than twenty families, to which Spanish is added as the majority language.

According to linguistic legislation, Spanish or Castilian is the official language of Colombia, and the languages ​​and dialects of the ethnic groups are also official in their territories.

Languages ​​in Colombia

Native or indigenous languages ​​in Colombia

The main families of indigenous languages ​​of Colombia are:

Barbacoan languages ​​are also spoken along the border with Ecuador, Caribbean languages ​​in the north, ñe'engatú the extreme southeast.

Spanish language in Colombia

The main characteristics of Colombian Spanish are:

Colombian dialects

Twelve dialects of the Spanish language are spoken in the country:

• Coastal dialect. It has features similar to the Spanish of Andalusia or the Canary Islands, and is more or less widespread in the lower areas of America. Its main characteristics are:
  • Final consonants are weakened: preconsonant -s becomes aspirated [h]. For instance: coast> kóhta.
  • The phenomenon of budding of consonants occurs. For instance: Cartagena> Cattagena, truth> veddá.
  • The pronoun tú is widely used, except in the formal language.
  • The voseo reverential is combined with tuteo.
  • Subvariants: Barranquillero, Sabanero, Samario, Valduparense, Guajiro, Cartagena.

• Paisa dialect. It is spoken in almost the entire territory of Antioquia and the typically coffee-growing area: Risaralda, Quindío, Caldas, northwestern Tolima and the east and north of Valle del Cauca. Its base is the Castilian of the north of Spain. Its main characteristics are:
  • Its concave S (apicoalveolar [s̺]) stands out.
  • The R is usually sharp and strong.
  • River Plate-type voseo is used. For instance: you are, you want, you speak.

• Bogota or Rolo dialect. It is spoken in Bogotá, in the interior of Colombia and some neighboring municipalities such as Soacha, La Calera and Mosquera. Its main characteristics are:
  • It is fully articulated from the postvocalic S without the tendency to aspiration or elision.
  • The final alveolar N is typical, the neither confusion nor exchange of L and R.
  • The final syllable of the last word of the sentence is pronounced with a higher pitch.
  • In adult speakers, the lateral palatal phoneme LL and the semiconsonant Y are distinguished, although Yeísmo has spread.
  • It's used you instead of your between family and friends.

• Cundiboyacense dialect. It is spoken in the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá, it is very similar with respect to the variety of Bogotá. Its main characteristics are:
  • The prevocalic S is pronounced with a soft tone. For instance: us> nohotros.
  • The pronouns you and sumercé are used, which derives from "your mercy."
  • The pronoun tú is used next to the treatment of you and the sumercé according to different situations.
  • Men tend to talk about you to other men of their age and social situation while mentoring women of the same position. However, they use the you with women to create an effect of trust or intimacy. On the other hand, for women, the tuteo is used to show confidence and the you to preserve the distance.

• Vallecaucano or Valluno dialect. It is characteristic of the southwestern region, which includes the department of Valle del Cauca. It is also known as a Bougainvillea or Palmireño accent. Its main characteristics are:
  • The nasal bilabial joint M of the final N is given. For instance: train> trem.
  • The final and preconsonant S is usually maintained but in the prevocalic position the pharyngeal H realization is common, especially in the junctions. For instance: need> [nehesitár].
  • Are used fillers like "see" and "look, see" (usually used before a sentence), "hear" and "hear" (frequented after a sentence).
  • The voseo denotes closeness to the interlocutor, relegating the "you" to the formal language.
  • The Presentindicative for the regular verbs with -ás, –és, or ís. For instance: you talk, you eat, you live. In the irregular verbs, the ending is the same, but the verbs do not undergo the typical vowel change. For instance: you remember, you have, you sleep. The same happens in the present subjunctive.

• Pastuso dialect. It is typical of the southwestern region of the country (departments of Nariño and Putumayo in its Andean areas). Its main characteristics are:
  • The lateral palatal LL is distinguished with the semiconsonant Y (yeísmo is absent).
  • The ending -ado is rigorously preserved, avoiding the elimination of D.
  • Voseo is common in youth and speaks informal, although it is usually mixed with tuteo. For instance: you got.
  • The use of you is maintained in both educated and informal speech as well as the interior of the country.
  • The tuteo is secondary and little used.

• Santander dialect. It is spoken in the departments of Santander and Norte de Santander, in the eastern part of the country. Its main characteristics are:
  • A strong and fast intonation is used.
  • There are numerous remnants of the lateral palatal phoneme LL that sound different from Y.
  • The use of you guys is almost general, the your it is used in small areas.
  • Voseo has a strong presence in certain municipalities of Catatumbo.

• Tolima or Opita dialect. It is spoken in the departments of Huila and Tolima. Its main characteristics are:
  • Yeísmo is used.
  • They are created from diphthongs from hiatuses EA and EO. For example: fight> fight, worse> pior.

• Llanero dialect. It is spoken in the departments of the eastern Colombian-Venezuelan plains, it has a notable indigenous influence. Its main characteristics are:
  • In general, the S in the plural is deleted or weakened. For instance: loj dog.
  • Yeísmo is used.
  • R is articulated until its neutralization or its disappearance in the infinitive. For instance: milk.
  • The S joint is used (implosive), aspiration (maíh
  • The prevocalic S is aspirated. For example: ji jeñol
  • The sound of the old H.
  • The past tense of the subjunctive is formed with the verb "to be". For example: "If it weren't (it would have) been for Guadalupe Salcedo ...".

• Amazonian dialect. It is spoken in the departments found in the southeastern jungles of the country, Caquetá, Vaupés, Amazonas, Guaviare, Guainía. Its main characteristics are:
  • The J (aspirated indoors, [h]) is changed to / ɸ / (always bilabial). For instance: The cold ones of Sän Fan.
  • Some vowels are omitted. For instance: Thursday
  • The allophonic use of vowel lengthening is given.
  • There is occlusivization of the intermediates B, D and G in tonal ascent with aspiration and lengthening of the vowel.
  • The phonemes P, T and K are used with an aspiration at the beginning of the word.
  • The affliction of the Y is used.

• Chocoano or equatorial dialect. It extends outside the department along almost the entire Pacific coastline, it has a notable African influence. The main urban centers are Quibdó, Buenaventura, Tumaco, Guapi and Timbiquí. Its main characteristics are:
  • The final S is reduced. For instance: these gentlemen> ehto sir.
  • The final N is velarized. For instance: song> cansiong.
  • The joint of D is used as R in intervocalic position. For instance: all> bull.
  • There is the confusion of L and R preconsonant or final. For instance: soul and weapon they sound the same.
  • Voseo and tuteo are used.

• Island dialect. It is spoken on the islands of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina in the Colombian Caribbean. Its main characteristics are:
  • It combines elements of Caribbean Spanish with Sanandresean Creole, which adds an Anglo-Saxon touch to the accent.

Examples of Spanish words from Colombia

1. Partner or parce: friend.
2. Berraco: angry, impetuous, person who comes out ahead.
3. Chimba: good, nice, pretty.
4. Sheath: thing, situation.
5. Give a present: give.
6. Monkey, cute: blonde person.
7. Swallow: intense infatuation felt towards another person.
8. Bare, pelada: boy, girl or young person.
9. Camel: job.
10. Guaro: brandy.
11. Pola: barley beer.
12. Red: dark coffee.
13. Meccato: light food, such as cookies, candy or fried foods.
14. Flashing: disorder.
15. Loose: lazy person, or incapable.
16. Edge: hunger.
17. Cow: collect between several people to buy something.
18. Sweater: coat made of synthetic material or cotton.
19. Quiubo: what happened, always used as a greeting.
20. Visage: boast
21. Patch: Group of friends.
22. Cucho: old person.
23. Mutt: dog.
24. Tomb: police (derogatory)
25. Ñarria: bad spoken person, badly dressed and associated with areas with high crime rates.
26. Wildman: street-looking person.
27. Jartar: eat, drink or consume.
28. Chuspa: plastic bag.
29. Bochinche: improvised, noisy and disorderly gathering of people.
30. Boroló / bololó / bororó: problem or rumor not clarified.

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