With some six million inhabitants, El Salvador is a relatively small country in Central America. That doesn’t diminish its stunning natural beauty, particularly its volcanoes, beaches, and “cloud forests,” along with a rich cultural heritage that includes important Mayan archaeological sites.
Spanish is the official language of El Salvador, which borders Guatemala to the northwest and Honduras to the north and east. There are also several indigenous languages and some 7% of the population speaks a foreign language including English, French, and Italian.
The country also has several accents, each of them shaped by geography, contact with neighboring countries, and indigenous heritage. Such accents can make accent softening a necessity in the call center and other industries. Here are the top accents.
What Is an Accent?
Let’s begin there. An accent is how someone pronounces a language. It can reveal the speaker’s ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographical background. We all have an accent even if you never considered the possibility. If you’re from Massachusetts, for example, imagine how you must sound to someone living in Mississippi.
The Linguistic History of El Salvador
Before the Spanish conquest, El Salvador was home to indigenous languages including Nawat, Poton, and those of the Maya family. The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century resulted in the introduction and ultimate dominance of the Spanish language. There were efforts to suppress indigenous languages, leading to their decline. While many indigenous languages have disappeared, some, such as Poton and Nawat have endured, though they are endangered. The Spanish spoken in El Salvador has its own characteristics, including a sing-song nature and influences from indigenous languages.
Three predictions, for contact center executives to consider, on how AI will shape the future of contact centers
How AI will Transform Contact Centers in the Next 5 Years
Top Accents in El Salvador
Common features among these Spanish accents include the dropping of “s” at the end of syllables, and indigenous vocabulary, such as “chele” (blonde person) and “ayote” (squash).
Central/Capital Accent
Mostly spoken in and around San Salvador, the country’s capital, this accent is the most standard, particularly among professionals and those with a formal education. The Central accent is characterized by moderate use of voseo (the use of “vos” rather than (“tu”) and, compared to rural regions, less marked pronunciation.
Also, the “j” sound in, for example, “jalapeño” softens to a glottal “h,” akin to the English “h” in “hello.”
Western Accent
Primarily found in the western departments of Santa Ana, Sonsonate, and Ahuachapan, this accent is known for its strong voseo and dropping of the “s” at the end of syllables. The Western accent incorporates distinctive local slang and indigenous Nehuatl vocabulary.
In the west, the aspiration of “h” and “s” is less pronounced than in rural eastern regions, where such features are more robust.
Eastern Accent
Spoken in the eastern part of the country, bordering Honduras, this accent features a more pronounced use of “j” in some words (like the English “h” in “hello.” And due to the Honduran influence, the Eastern accent sometimes uses “tu” instead of “vos.” It also has a slightly different intonation and unique vocabulary.
The accent features a strong aspiration of the “s” sound and a weakening or softening of accents.
Northern Accent
Spoken in Chalatenango and Cabanas, near the Honduran border, this accent includes greater use of the “j” sound. There’s also some vocabulary overlap with Honduran Spanish, with the accent often described as more rural or “country” in character.
Also, the word-final “n” is commonly pronounced as a velar nasal, making “pan” sound like “pang.” And unlike in other Spanish dialects, words with “tl” are pronounced with a clear /tl/ sound.
Northwestern Accent
Influenced by its proximity to Guatemala, this accent is spoken in areas such as Metapan and features a distinct vocabulary and pronunciation patterns. The Northwestern accent is also known for the use of “vosotros” for the second-person plural, a trait that’s more common in Guatemalan Spanish.
Informal speech incorporates unique colloquialisms and indigenous words, its prominence dependent upon the area and social context.
Indigenous-Influenced Accents
These accents are spoken in small communities, particularly in the east and west, where the Lenca and Pipil/Nawat heritage remain. The accents, which are less common but remain culturally significant, are known for the integration of indigenous words and intonation, and occasionally grammar.
Accent Reduction, Call Centers, and Tomato.ai
It is true: El Salvador has a rich mosaic of accents. However, it’s also true that people often judge others by how they speak. And it’s common for those who have “unfavorable” speaking patterns to find their accent a barrier to employment.
That is especially true for roles that require a lot of verbal communication. The position of call center agent is a prime example. For many offshore representatives, English is a second, third, or sometimes even fourth language. Callers often consider such accents “foreign” or undesirable. Consequently, they often treat agents impatiently and rudely, and sometimes even question their competence. That’s where accent reduction can come into play.
With its accent softening tool, Tomato.ai has the answer. Its AI linguistic filter clarifies offshore agents’ voices in real time, changing words into those that sound to callers like a language’s native speaker. The result of accent neutralization is improved customer experiences, perceived intelligibility, and call center performance.