So my Spanish is not that good, but I was watching the match tonight on Azteca America, and it sounded like the announcer said that Xolos is pronounced like "Cholos" and not "Zolos." First of all, isn't "cholo" a derogatory term (at least in LA it used to be anyway)? And secondly, isn't it supposed to be pronounced like the dog breed, so it would be like "Sholos"? Or did I just hear the announcer wrong?
Its like the dog and the X is like the X in Xavi (from Barcelona). So its closest to Show Lows, not Cholos or Zolos.
Except in words where it sounds like S (xilófono, Taxisco) or in words where it sounds like J (México, luxación), or in words where it sounds like X (exacto, sexo). So X in Spanish actually has at least 4 different pronunciations depending on the word (and region).
My previous post is for the modern pronunciation of X/sh/. Obviously older words like México still keep their original pronunciation despite the spelling. And when a syllable precedes X is always pronounced like in English (sexo, Exacto) that has never changed.
Respuesta: Re: Xolos pronounciation Yup, the /sh/ sound was the original sound for the X in Spanish. México was originally pronounced Me/shi/co by the Aztecs. Probably Catalan keep that sound for their X, just as they keep the cedilla (ç) as well (the cedilla born as a letter for our language). This is why the wine from Jerez is known as Sherry in English, Jerez was originally Xerez. Then X got the current "J" sound and the /sh/ was replaced by it (hence Méshico turned Méjico), this is why the original spelling for Don Quijote is Don Qvixote. When the last reform was implemented Mexico (and most former colonies) got its independence and decided to adopt the new sounds in the Spanish language, but keeping the arcaisms in its toponyms (México, Texas, Xalapa, Mexicali...).
