Pronunciation of "gua" in Mexico

Question

A native of Guanajuato, Mexico told me that her town (and state) are pronounced with the g silent, as if the name of the town were spelled "Huanajuato". Moreover, she said that this pronunciation is standard in Mexico, not just regionally correct. I asked two of my colleagues, both of whom are from Mexico City, about this pronunciation, and they agreed with some qualifications. Clearly, the g in Spanish in "ga-", "go-", and "gu-" words is less fricative, less aspirated, and less strongly voiced than the equivalent in English or in the IPA.; however, its being silent is a big surprise to me. One of my Columbian students, perhaps being mischievous, pronounced 'agua' with the g silent. I've never encountered silent g in peninsular Spanish--except in foreign words like 'gnómico'--and I don't remember it in Costa Rica. On the other hand, I have noticed some alternative and homophonous spellings in at least Mexican Spanish, such as "guacel" and "huacel". I'd like to hear some comments on the correctness, scope, and variability of the silent g in Latin America.

Answer 1

G has two different pronunciations.

1. G = Guerra, gato, guitarra, góndola, gusano. Equal to G in English in words like Guess, Goal, gun, etc.
2. G = Gema, Gitano, Geranio, gelatina, girasol. Similar to H in English like in Hello, Hi, heather, hoop. I say "simililar" because this "G" in Spanish has a more of a guttural sound. Something in between the hard and soft g.
3. Now, as your example "Guanajuato" That pronunciation is incorrect. People became used to pronounce it this way, but that does not make it right! Think of the different accents in certain parts of the U.S. There are some places where people pronounce words in a different way that they are supposed to be.

So, the way the people who live in Guanajuato pronounce where they live is incorrect? :) - Jeremias, Feb 1, 2012

Absolutely! And if you think about it, México, must be pronounced with an "x" not with an "h" in English, or a "j" in Spanish. They are the only Spanish speaking country where X has two sounds! - farallon7, Feb 1, 2012

And why is that? Because these words come from the Aztec and the Mayan languages, in other words, not from Spanish. - farallon7, Feb 1, 2012

Not the only place where the natives pronounce their own city/state incorrectly. My mother thinks she was born in MissourA. :-) - MLucie, Feb 2, 2012

Thanks Mlucie! In the city of Cartagena Colombia, people call their city "Cadtagena" and this doesn't make it right! I know there are more examples like these everywere. - farallon7, Feb 2, 2012

Answer 2

I have spent a fair amount of time in Guanajuato, la ciudad y el estado. Your comment is certainly true of Guanajuato - also the "j" becomes more highly aspirated (if that's the right word) and emphasized than one would expect. The "g" in agua can be very soft, but I don't know about it being silent.

Answer 3

You're telling me they pronounce guapo, guardar, guantes, etc with a soft g? I don't believe that.

Maybe they pronounce Guanajuato that way, but not all the other gua- words.

Answer 4

Guerra, guisante to give two examples the hard G as in go whereas the G in gente as an simular to H sound and the word in your title gua meaning cool in street talk is pronounced like the english word Why.