Seseo is one of the most distinctive phonetic features of Spanish as spoken in the Canary Islands. According to the analysis presented in the tribute to Francisco Navarro Artiles, this phenomenon involves pronouncing the letters ‘c’ (before ‘e’, ‘i’) and ‘z’ as ‘s’, thus eliminating the distinction between the sounds /θ/ and /s/ found in other varieties of Peninsular Spanish[1].
Navarro Artiles documents that seseo is present on all the islands of the archipelago, although with varying nuances and degrees depending on the island and sociolinguistic context. The text notes that “seseo is a common feature in Canarian popular speech,” and its prevalence is such that it is considered one of the defining elements of the islands’ linguistic identity[1].
The author points out that this feature is not exclusive to the Canaries, as it is also found in Andalusia and most of Latin America, but in the Canarian case it is especially relevant due to its uniformity and the near-total absence of distinction in everyday speech[1]. In the examples collected by Navarro Artiles, seseo affects both common words and specific terms from the Canarian lexicon, reinforcing its deep roots in local linguistic culture.
The tribute emphasizes that Canarian seseo should not be understood as a ‘mistake’ or ‘error’, but as a legitimate and inherent characteristic of the insular variety. Navarro Artiles insists that the evaluation of seseo should be descriptive rather than prescriptive, recognizing its identity function and its value as a subject of philological study[1].
Navarro Artiles’ analysis also addresses the social perception of seseo, indicating that, although it may have historically been seen as a feature of popular or rural speech, today it is widely accepted and shared by all social strata in the Canaries[1].
Finally, the text includes examples of words and phrases where seseo is evident, illustrating how this phenomenon is integrated into the daily life and communication of Canarians. Navarro Artiles’ work is fundamental for understanding the importance of seseo in shaping Canarian Spanish and its role in the linguistic identity of the islands[1].