Rhotic vs. Non-Rhotic

Rhotic speakers, do you view speakers of non-rhotic dialects as speaking "incorrectly"? And vice-versa for non-rhotic speakers as well.

Also, if you're currently a primarily rhotic speaker, were you at any point in your life non-rhotic? What prompted the change?

Same question for currently non-rhotic speakers as well. Were you at one point rhotic? And if so, what prompted the change?

- I've always been Rhotic. Around here (and also where I was born), Rs are the norm.

I don't like British people pronouncing Peugeot as Pirsio [p@(r)Zo], even tho' they're not rhotic (except from the Scottish), I can hear a slight r-coloration of their shwa in this word...

That's the problem with being non-rhotic, they add r's where there are no r's at all (intrusive R). I find intrusive R's so inelegant...

"I find intrusive R's so inelegant..."

I'm a rhotic speaker who normally finds RP beautiful (if cold), but I have to admit that the intrusive "r" grates on the nerves and sounds generally unpleasant. Why the "developers of RP" decided that it is necessary for good speech is a mystery to me.

I both chuckle and cringe, at the same time, when I hear Englishmen say "vodker on the rocks".

Generally speaking, however, I find non-rhoticism very pleasant—but that's just me.

That's evah so noice of you to say that, Jaspah! Chee-uhz, mite!

(I am now an honorary Landunnah!) ;-)

I have always been a fully rhotic speaker, but I do not view non-rhoticism as incorrect or unpleasant. I have never attempted to change to non-rhoticism, as I have never lived in a non-rhotic dialect region.

As a non-rhotic speaker I can say I'm never aware of when I add intrusive r's and would find it pretty difficult to avoid doing.

I laughed when I read "vodker on the rocks" because that's how I'd naturally say it. i didn't realise it annoyed you rhotics. What do you do then - put a glottal stop before the 'on' ?

I would tend to concur with Jasper myself; I definitely do not find non-rhoticism to be "incorrect" and often find it to actually be quite aesthetically pleasing, yet I still tend to find the intrusive "r" rather jarring when I hear it.

Vodker, I really had to think and listen in order to answer your question correctly.

When we say "vodka on the rocks", et. al., we either use a glottal stop or slur the two vowels together, in the manner of a diphone. (Think of the word "diarrhea" to get the idea.)

One thing I can say for sure: when English actors try to emulate an American accent, apparently the intrusive "r" is the absolute hardest thing to let go. I've heard both Jane Seymour and Angela Lansbury use the intrusive "r" in an otherwise convincing American accent.

>>One thing I can say for sure: when English actors try to emulate an American accent, apparently the intrusive "r" is the absolute hardest thing to let go. I've heard both Jane Seymour and Angela Lansbury use the intrusive "r" in an otherwise convincing American accent.<<

An intrusive "r" in otherwise rhotic English is extremely obvious to me at least, and far more jarring than such is in non-rhotic English, where I am far less likely to notice such myself. Even a single intrusive "r" in rhotic English makes it painfully obvious that one does not natively speak a rhotic English dialect, and will not be left unnoticed.

<<Even a single intrusive "r" in rhotic English makes it painfully obvious that one does not natively speak a rhotic English dialect, and will not be left unnoticed.>>

You've forgotten about Lazar's dialect.

↑ That is correct. New Englanders retain the intrusive "r". To me, it is just as jarring in an otherwise non-rhotic dialect.

I know; it is just because I have not come into much contact with rhotic eastern New England dialects, so that the instances of intrusive "r" in rhotic English which I have heard have been almost exclusively in speech by native speakers of non-rhotic English dialects.

Travis: me, too. I just don't get to hear New England-speak very often, so it's easy to forget about it at first.