Is it true that one of the kings of Spain had a lisp, and that's why they don't pronounce the "s" right?

Question

supposedly, nobody would dare tell him he had a lisp, so they all just started talking the way he did.

Answer 1

um maybe, but im spanish and i lived in spain for 8 years and to me, the way the letters go together its really the only way you can say them, nothing to do with a lisp.

Answer 2

Yeth, that is tho true. But only in parth of Thpain.

I live in Andalucia and the lisp is not used here.

Answer 3

Allegedly, this is found only in Castillian Spanish, and I heard that it was a Queen who had the lisp that people began imitating.  

I'd be interested in knowing the true story.

Answer 4

It was supposedly King Ferdinand - but it's yet another myth!  Here's the story of the ceceo:

http://spanish.about.com/cs/qa/a/q_lisp....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandquerie...

Answer 5

Yes, it's true. If people told him he had a lisp, he ordered them to be killed, and he demanded that everyone speak Spanish like him.  That is why they pronounce things the way they do.

Answer 6

I can't remember if a Spanish king had a lisp but it's very probable due to the inbreeding costumes of European monarchy, which improved the possibilities of any kind illnesses. On the other hand, I wonder..... who can affirm the Spaniards don't pronounce the "s" right? It's just the way they pronounce it. If we translate the situation to English...... who pronounces the word"potato" right? British or American? Who pronounces it wrong? Both pronounce it right, each on its way. That's my opinion. Of course there are people with terrible pronunciation in Spanish, English and in every language, but those are specific cases.

Answer 7

I think you are getting the "S" mixed up with the "C"

Answer 8

IT'S NOT A LISP! The "s" is not pronounced like a "th" as in thought. It's the "z" and sometimes the "c" that are pronounced like that. A lisp is by definition the mispronunciation of the letter "s". Spaniards pronounce the letter "s" just fine. And as it was already mentioned, it's a myth.