Comments on: Vanishing r http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/vanishing-r Language in a word Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:46:09 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Michael Hoare http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/vanishing-r/comment-page-1#comment-5464 Michael Hoare Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:14:39 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=221#comment-5464 Some years ago Brian Sewell, the notorious pronounced-RP speaker ( read 'la-di-da' in common speech) wrote a piece on the 'Febuary' problem in his Evening Standard column, deploring its recent incidence. I wrote to him pointing out that, in fairness, he should also have deplored the 'Fraffly' pronounciation 'Febrah', common among the toffs. He wrote back a nice postcard agreeing that this was a fair point and confessing that, though not exactly a 'Fraffly' speaker, his friends did joke about his use of 'Ears' meaning 'Yes' in a slightly disapproving reply. Some years ago Brian Sewell, the notorious pronounced-RP speaker ( read ‘la-di-da’ in common speech) wrote a piece on the ‘Febuary’ problem in his Evening Standard column, deploring its recent incidence. I wrote to him pointing out that, in fairness, he should also have deplored the ‘Fraffly’ pronounciation ‘Febrah’, common among the toffs. He wrote back a nice postcard agreeing that this was a fair point and confessing that, though not exactly a ‘Fraffly’ speaker, his friends did joke about his use of ‘Ears’ meaning ‘Yes’ in a slightly disapproving reply.

]]> By: Adrian Morgan http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/vanishing-r/comment-page-1#comment-4322 Adrian Morgan Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:27:44 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=221#comment-4322 It probably wouldn't have occured to me to think of February as an example of r-deletion, because of course the missing /r/ is always (so far as I know) replaced with an extra /j/, making it a case of r-<i>replacement</i> rather than deletion alone. Yes, technically, replacement does break down into the deletion of one thing and the insertion of another, but February is anomolous in that respect. Or is it? It probably wouldn’t have occured to me to think of February as an example of r-deletion, because of course the missing /r/ is always (so far as I know) replaced with an extra /j/, making it a case of r-replacement rather than deletion alone. Yes, technically, replacement does break down into the deletion of one thing and the insertion of another, but February is anomolous in that respect. Or is it?

]]> By: Amy Stoller http://www.linguism.co.uk/language/vanishing-r/comment-page-1#comment-4177 Amy Stoller Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:51:45 +0000 http://www.linguism.co.uk/?p=221#comment-4177 This phenomenon is called "dissimilation" and a websearch on that term, "R-deletion" or both will turn up enough hits to give you a pretty good idea of the explanation. Dissimilation occurs in many languages, and R-deletion is particularly ("paticularly") common in English. I hope this helps. I had to research this for the benefit of those of my clients for whom English is not a first language (I'm a dialect coach). Native speakers of English generally just get on with it; they learned the "rules" as they learned to speak. This phenomenon is called “dissimilation” and a websearch on that term, “R-deletion” or both will turn up enough hits to give you a pretty good idea of the explanation. Dissimilation occurs in many languages, and R-deletion is particularly (”paticularly”) common in English.

I hope this helps. I had to research this for the benefit of those of my clients for whom English is not a first language (I’m a dialect coach). Native speakers of English generally just get on with it; they learned the “rules” as they learned to speak.

]]>