Spanish Accent in Barcelona

[Bob Greaves]

Can someone tell me if it is common to use the "th" sound in Barcelona? I know that it is standard in Mardrid and central Spain, but I have a feeling that it is different in Barcelona. Thus the word "Barcelona" would NOT be pronounced "BarTHElona" in the Barcelona area.

[Pepino]

I asked my flatmate about this today, and he's from Cuba and pronouces the "thay" sound in Barcelona, but another friend who's from BCN says that the local accent is to pronouce it like a regular "s", like in "sangria"

I'm blind to accents at the moment, as I'm only just grasping what's said, never mind how it's said, but I hope to start looking out for this when my Spanish improves enough in, oooooh, about 40 years time!! ;)

[jgamezma]

Hi,I am from Barcelona and we Catalonians can pronounce the sound "th" in Spanish. What happens is that this sound does not exist in Catalan, so we say "Barselona" in Catalan, being the sound "e" similar to the schwa vowel in English.

Anyway, Catalan-speakers have a strong accent in Spanish.

Take care

[Edith]

Anyway, Catalan-speakers have a strong accent in Spanish.

I don't recall his name right now, but there is a guy from TVE who presents science documentaries, and his Catalan accent is very distinctive. His 'l' sounds very similar to the Dutch 'l' (I'm from Holland). I don't pronounce it that way but some people do.