| This dissertation offers an investigation of linguistic and social constraints on three variables (syllable- and word-final (s), syllable-initial (s) and word-final (n) in the Spanish of Salvadorean youth living in Toronto, Canada. Both final (s) and final (n) have been investigated extensively in many varieties of Spanish. However, most of these analyses have focused on Caribbean varieties such as Cuban Spanish or Puerto Rican Spanish. This study presents a variable rule analysis of (s) and (n) in Salvadorean Spanish, a lesser-studied variety.;A variable rule analysis of linguistic factors constraining final (s) reveals that both phonological and grammatical constraints govern variation. [s] is more likely to be retained before voiceless alveolar /t/, and before coronals generally. /s/ deletion is favoured by following continuants, a constraint also found for /n/ deletion. An analysis of /s/ deletion offers little evidence supporting functionalist hypotheses governing variation. Findings for position in noun phrase are similar to those found in previous studies (Poplack 1980, Alba 1990).;The variant realization of final (n) is also governed by phonological constraints. As in previous studies (e.g. Cedergren 1972, Lipski 1984) following vowels and following pause favour velar [ill, as do following velars. Following continuants favour /n/ deletion. Functional motivations do not appear to constrain /n/ deletion.;Social factors play a role in the variant realizations of both (s) and (n). An analysis of social factors reveals clear social stratification for (s): /s/ retention, the variant with the most overt prestige, is favoured by women and speakers from the highest socio-economic class. The overtly positive evaluation for [s] is confirmed in an analysis of speech styles where rates of /s/ retention rise to almost 100% in the more careful styles (reading passage and word list).;Social factors also govern (n). While overtly prestigious retained [n] remains the most frequent variant overall, velar [ y ], a traditionally stigmatized variant is favoured by speakers from the highest socio-economic class. Furthermore, rates of velarization and deletion remain consistent across speech styles. These patterns point to differences in the social salience and meaning of (s) and (n) for these Salvadorean youth in Toronto. |
