Amazonic Spanish (español amazónico), also known as Charapa Spanish, Loreto-Ucayali Spanish or informally known in Peru simply as Jungle Spanish (español de la selva), is a variety of Spanish spoken in the Amazon, especially in the Peruvian provinces of Loreto, San Martín and Ucayali. Amazonic Spanish is also spoken in areas of Brazil adjoining Loreto and Ucayali and in the Amazonas Department of Colombia.

Distinctive features

Morphosyntax

One of the distinguishing features of Amazonic Spanish is the method of constructing the possessive form: speakers say "de la X su Y" (of the X its Y), instead of standard Spanish "la Y de X" (the Y of X). Another distinctive grammatical feature is the use of possessive forms in place of certain genitive forms; compare standard Spanish "Le preguntó a la yaminahua delante de mí" (He asked the Yaminahua woman in front of me) with the Loreto-Ucayali "Le preguntó a la yaminahua en mi delante" (He asked the Yaminahua woman in my front). Personal names are prefixed with a definite article (el or la, depending on the gender).

Phonology

and especially the sequence are frequently realized as (as in Juana ). Amazonic Spanish also incorporates words and expressions borrowed from local indigenous languages.

Status

Amazonic Spanish is classified as a separate language from standard Spanish by Ethnologue, with its own ISO 639-3 code: spq.