Xolos pronounciation

Discussion in 'Xolos de Tijuana' started by holden, Mar 10, 2012.

  1. holden

    holden Member+

    Dundee FC, Yeovil Town LFC, Girondins de Bordeaux
    Oct 20, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Dundee FC
    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?
     
  2. sandiegosoccer

    Feb 3, 2010
    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.
     
  3. holden

    holden Member+

    Dundee FC, Yeovil Town LFC, Girondins de Bordeaux
    Oct 20, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Dundee FC
    That's what I thought. Thanks!
     
  4. edcalvi

    edcalvi Moderator
    Staff Member

    Olimpia
    Guatemala
    May 1, 2005
    US
    Yes it's SHO-LOS. Spanish X is sh not ch.
     
  5. ChaChaFut

    ChaChaFut Member

    Jun 30, 2005
    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).
     
  6. edcalvi

    edcalvi Moderator
    Staff Member

    Olimpia
    Guatemala
    May 1, 2005
    US
    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.
     
  7. Hachiko

    Hachiko The Akita on Big Soccer

    Jun 8, 2005
    Long Beach, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sho-los. Or...show-lo-squint-lees.
     
  8. Mr. P Mosh

    Mr. P Mosh Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Monterrey, NL, Mex
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    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...).

    :cool:
     
    Socrates_81 and Vinodivino repped this.

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