pronouncing "ll". "j', and "g"

Question

I have heard Jeanette Dimech pronounce "ll" in the Mexican way. Isn't the Castelano made liquid with the "y'' sound? I think it;s even pronounced like the English "j" in some Latin countries. Is the jota always just an aspirate? The "g' can be either a aspirate or a soft guttural (German "ch" or Dutch "g"), but I am not sure on this.

sorry, it shd be "Castellano" naturlich - Marsviking, May 15, 2011

Answer 1

For ll and y there are at least three main regional variations, but none of them are really identical to the English "j" (even though they are close). The "jota" and the sequences "ge" and "gi" also have regional variations, but again, they are not like the English "h" (some use a guttural sound; others a velar one).

yes but why wd jeanette use a mexican form? - Marsviking, May 15, 2011

Answer 2

Usually, when the y or ll are pronounced like an English "j" as you have suggested, it is not actually quite as hard. I would say that it probably closer to the /zh/ sound in English words like treasure, or like the French j in words like je ne sais quoi.

Here is an interesting youtube video that might be of use: Cinco de mayo

i have an argentine friend who pronounces his ll as english j, tho - Marsviking, May 15, 2011