Isogloss map for /y/ and /ll/ distinction in Iberian Peninsula Spanish, according to ALPI .
The fact of not distinguishing the phonemes /y/ and /ll/ is known as "yeísmo". In Spain nowadays the differentiation of both phonemes is probably on its way to disappearing completely. It's surprising that in 1930-1936 the differentiation was still quite majoritary, and it makes one distrust a little the ability to distinguish both sounds in the New Mexico linguist Aurelio Espinosa Jr., died in 2004, who was in charge of Phonetics for the ALPI. A key fact in the evolution of these phonemes in Spain is that style manuals for cinema, radio and TV have always "accepted" the merging of the phonemes for presenters ands newscasters.
The words registered in the ALPI surveys that have been used in this map are :
Map Legend
Zone A : Points where /y/ and /ll/ are distinguished.
Zone B : Points where /y/ and /ll/ are not distinguished.
Zone C : Other languages. Zones where historically Spanish is not the local language.
Index of Maps : Isogloss maps for Iberian Peninsula Spanish, according to ALPI
Versión en español : Mapa de isoglosas para la diferenciación de /y/ y /ll/ en el castellano de la península Ibérica, a partir del ALPI
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