# Pronunciation of the letter r in British English



## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

The pronunciation is different in Canadian and U.S. English.

How do YOU say 'park'?


Fascinating


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## Don M. (Nov 15, 2020)

So true.  Whenever I hear a British person speak....usually on TV...it's as if the letter R doesn't exist.


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## hollydolly (Nov 15, 2020)

Don M. said:


> So true.  Whenever I hear a British person speak....usually on TV...it's as if the letter R doesn't exist.


not true... a Scottish pronunciation of R..is like rrrrrrr.. similar to Spanish


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## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

Depending on where the "r" falls in the word as demonstrated in the video.

I say park as parrk.  Heavily pronounce the r.  British English is less prounounced.


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## RadishRose (Nov 15, 2020)

This accent was _rhotic, _meaning the R's were heard as in "car" rather than "cah"*. *

 The elite class of England wanted a clear division of status; thus, resorting to a non-rhotic dialect. "Cah".


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## RadishRose (Nov 15, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> not true... a Scottish pronunciation of R..is like rrrrrrr.. similar to Spanish


One of the reasons for the switch from non-rhotic to rhotic in America, was the influx into the country of German, Irish, and *Scottish *immigrants who spoke with rhotic English.


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## Pepper (Nov 15, 2020)

In Boston we said "Mahk, please pahk the cah near the bah.  Wicked!"


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## Warrigal (Nov 15, 2020)

Pepper said:


> In Boston we said "Mahk, please pahk the cah near the bah.  Wicked!"


Same in Sydney. Clearly my upbringing and schooling emphasised British pronunciation.


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## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> This accent was _rhotic, _meaning the R's were heard as in "car" rather than "cah"*. *
> 
> The elite class of England wanted a clear division of status; thus, resorting to a non-rhotic dialect. "Cah".


You are speaking like a Kennedy.


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## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

Pepper said:


> In Boston we said "Mahk, please pahk the cah near the bah.  Wicked!"


My son lives in the U.S. close to Boston.

I visited there.  They speak like Canadians.


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## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> Same in Sydney. Clearly my upbringing and schooling emphasised British pronunciation.


Yes I notice when I'm watching Australian football the accent of the announcers.

Definitely more British than Canadian or U.S.


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## Warrigal (Nov 15, 2020)

I think it is in the vowels that Australian and New Zealand pronunciation become distinct from other versions of English.


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## Pepper (Nov 15, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> My son lives in the U.S. close to Boston.
> 
> I visited there.  They speak like Canadians.


Eh? Are you oot and aboot?
No, I can't agree.  I've lived with Canadians and lived in New England for many years.  Unless they talk like Boston in the Yukon.


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## Camper6 (Nov 15, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Eh? Are you oot and aboot?
> No, I can't agree.  I've lived with Canadians and lived in New England for many years.  Unless they talk like Boston in the Yukon.


I'm 87. I have yet to hear anyone say out and aboot. One difference for me is we say "I am finished". Americans say "I am done".My family doesn't pronounce words like the Kennedys. I don't detect any accent.


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## Pepper (Nov 16, 2020)

I love Canada


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## officerripley (Nov 16, 2020)

Back in the 70s, I (a native Californian) moved with my 1st huzz to New Hampshire. The 1st time I spoke, someone who was native to N.H., got a shocked look on her face, leaned forward and said to me, "Whayuh in the wuhld are you from with that accent? And what's with the out-of-control Ahh's [R's]?!" I said "California" and she said "Oh, well, no wuhndah!"


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## Murrmurr (Nov 16, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> One of the reasons for the switch from non-rhotic to rhotic in America, was the influx into the country of German, Irish, and *Scottish *immigrants who spoke with rhotic English.


Back when radio was new, the sound microphones were so poor people's voices sounded garbled, so all radio performers were taught rhotic. Same for when sound was put to silent film, which is why actresses all said, like, "Daahhling" instead of darling. And that's when actors and actresses were set apart from normal people, and became celebrities; a cut above.


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## Jules (Nov 16, 2020)

I just can’t say r.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 16, 2020)

I pronounce an excessively hard r in words like park and a lot of people ask me if I'm from Missouri or sometimes North Dakota. I've never been to Missouri and I only passed through ND.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 16, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> My son lives in the U.S. close to Boston.
> 
> I visited there.  *They speak like Canadians*.


ROFLMAO!

That's because you ran into fellow Canadians!


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## Murrmurr (Nov 16, 2020)

Jules said:


> I just can’t say r.


You mean "ah"?


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## officerripley (Nov 16, 2020)

Another thing I noticed about New Hampshire, any word whose final syllable had an "uh" sound--like "quota" for ex.--an "R" sound was tacked on the end. For ex.: a co-worker was named Linda; when other co-workers said her name, they pronounced it "Linder". (I seem to remember that Pres. Kennedy did that sometimes too.)


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 16, 2020)

Pepper said:


> I love Canada


Thanks, Pepper!


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## Pepper (Nov 16, 2020)

Where did you live in New Hampshire @officerripley?


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## officerripley (Nov 16, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Where did you live in New Hampshire @officerripley?


North Conway.


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## hollydolly (Nov 16, 2020)

Pepper said:


> In Boston we said "Mahk, please pahk the cah near the bah.  Wicked!"


I fell in love with the Boston accent after watching cheers.. LOL


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## Camper6 (Nov 16, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> ROFLMAO!
> 
> That's because you ran into fellow Canadians!


Ha, Ha.  He married an American girl from Massachussets.  She speaks like a Canadian.  And so does my grandson.  Also. I met her family.  They also speak like Canadians.
You should know better than try to challenge me on something I post.  I never post anything I can't back up.
But it's fun.


hollydolly said:


> I fell in love with the Boston accent after watching cheers.. LOL


When I toured Boston on a bus, they stopped at the Cheers bar.


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## Camper6 (Nov 16, 2020)

The lyrics.  I remember the movie.

Why Can't the English Learn to speak​Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison, ...
Henry Look at her, a prisoner of the gutter, 
Condemned by every syllable she ever uttered. 
By law she should be taken out and hung, 
For the cold-blooded murder of the English tongue. 
Eliza Aaoooww! Henry imitating her Aaoooww! 
Heaven's! What a noise! 
This is what the British population, 
Calls an elementary education. Pickering Oh, 
Counsel, I think you picked a poor example. Henry Did I? 
Hear them down in Soho square, 
Dropping "h's" everywhere. 
Speaking English anyway they like. 
You sir, did you go to school? 
Man Wadaya tike me for, a fool? 
Henry No one taught him 'take' instead of 'tike! 
Why can't the English teach their children how to speak? 
This verbal class distinction, by now, 
Should be antique. If you spoke as she does, sir, 
Instead…


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## Jules (Nov 16, 2020)

Murrmurr said:


> You mean "ah"?


It’s more “i”. 

I need to learn to speak like a pirate.  Arrrrr.


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## Pepper (Nov 16, 2020)

officerripley said:


> North Conway.


Wow.  Right in the White Mountains &  Kancamagus Highway.  Beautiful, lucky you.  I lived in Nashua.  I miss New Hampshire very much.


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## peramangkelder (Nov 16, 2020)

What gives me the  is how many English and Aussies pronounce 'th' as 'f'
We have started watching an old fav series of ours called 'Heartbeat' and I don't think or is that 'fink'
any of the actors can pronounce 'th' in any of their roles
Watching our nightly news it is similar in the poor pronunciation of 'th'


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## Camper6 (Nov 16, 2020)

Jules said:


> It’s more “i”.
> 
> I need to learn to speak like a pirate.  Arrrrr.


The word "hour"

The "h" is silent.  It's pronounced ahwer.

Some pronounce it as are.


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## Camper6 (Nov 16, 2020)

peramangkelder said:


> What gives me the  is how many English and Aussies pronounce 'th' as 'f'
> We have started watching an old fav series of ours called 'Heartbeat' and I don't think or is that 'fink'
> any of the actors can pronounce 'th' in any of their roles
> Watching our nightly news it is similar in the poor pronunciation of 'th'


How could they pronounce it as "f".

Give me a word that they would pronounce it as "f"

You mean they say fink instead of think?


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 16, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> Ha, Ha.  He married an American girl from Massachussets.  She speaks like a Canadian.  And so does my grandson.  Also. I met her family.  They also speak like Canadians.
> You should know better than try to challenge me on something I post.  I never post anything I can't back up.
> But it's fun.
> 
> When I toured Boston on a bus, they stopped at the Cheers bar.


Just having a little fun with you Camper... letting you know you're still alive.


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## officerripley (Nov 16, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Wow.  Right in the White Mountains &  Kancamagus Highway.  Beautiful, lucky you.  I lived in Nashua.  I miss New Hampshire very much.


It was beautiful there. Unfortunately I was married to the wrong person and living at the poverty level on top of that so not happy memories.


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## officerripley (Nov 16, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> How could they pronounce it as "f".
> 
> Give me a word that they would pronounce it as "f"
> 
> You mean they say fink instead of think?


My late stepdad was from Ohio and he talked like that sometimes.


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## Devi (Nov 16, 2020)

How about (this is a joke) Keef Richards?

(For Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.)


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## peramangkelder (Nov 16, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> How could they pronounce it as "f".
> 
> Give me a word that they would pronounce it as "f"
> 
> You mean they say fink instead of think?


@Camper6 exactly right.... Think becomes fink
Everything becomes everyfing
Nothing becomes nuffing
Ad Infinitum


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## peramangkelder (Nov 16, 2020)

Devi said:


> How about (this is a joke) Keef Richards?
> 
> (For Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.)


@Devi yep Keith becomes Keiff
North becomes Norf
South becomes Souf
Teeth becomes teef


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## Warrigal (Nov 16, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> How could they pronounce it as "f".
> 
> Give me a word that they would pronounce it as "f"
> 
> You mean they say fink instead of think?


'Nothing' becomes 'nuffink'. 'I think' comes out as 'I fink'. It's a remnant of the Cockney influence.

As a child my aunts and great aunts would have jumped on me for such non standard pronunciation. They policed my grammar too.


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## Capt Lightning (Nov 18, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> I'm 87. I have yet to hear anyone say out and aboot. One difference for me is we say "I am finished". Americans say "I am done".



We say "That's me done".


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## Tish (Nov 20, 2020)

I always thought the English had a problem pronouncing T.


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