zheísmo

Zheísmo is a phonological phenomenon in some Spanish dialects in which the phoneme associated with the letters y and ll is realized as a postalveolar fricative rather than the palatal sounds common in many dialects. In zheísmo the y and ll are pronounced as [ʒ] (the zh sound); in its closely related variant, sheísmo, they are pronounced as [ʃ] (the sh sound). Both are forms of yeísmo, the broader tendency to merge the y and ll spellings into a single pronunciation; zheísmo and sheísmo differ from standard yeísmo mainly in the sibilant quality of the merged sound.

Geographic distribution: The feature is most characteristic of Rioplatense Spanish, especially urban speech in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and is also reported in other parts of the Río de la Plata basin. Speakers may use zheísmo or sheísmo, often as stylistic or socio-identity markers; some individuals alternate depending on context, age, and social group.

Linguistic background: The development reflects regional sound changes in the Río de la Plata area, where the historical palatal sounds for y/ll have shifted toward postalveolar fricatives. It coexists with other regional variations and has become a noticeable feature in descriptions of the local accent.

Usage and examples: For instance, the verb llamar (to call) may be pronounced [ˈʒamaɾ] or [ˈʃamaɾ] instead of the more common [ˈʝamaɾ], calle (street) as [kaˈʒe] or [kaˈʃe], and yo (I) as [ʒo] or [ʃo], while the spelling remains y or ll.