Dialectal variation: processes of convergence and divergence in Canarian Spanish

This paper offers a reflection on some processes that are occurring in the Canarian Spanish and that coincide with those attested in other southern varieties of the Spanish language. On the one hand, such processes show the existence of a tendency towards a dialectal linguistic levelling, as the almost generalized "yeismo" of nowadays proves. On the other hand, they also provide evidence of divergent dialectal models in our community, that is, of the tendency to maintain specific varieties and vernacular features in opposition to a contrary tendency to abandon particular uses and adopt standard linguistic forms instead.