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The word 'rhotic' is a backformation that comes from the word 'rhotacism', which stems from the Greek letter 'rho.'
What is the meaning of a Rhotic accent?
A rhotic accent is an accent that always pronounces the rhotic /r/ consonant sound whenever it appears in words. The opposite of rhotic is non-rhotic. This means the /r/ sound is not pronounced if it comes after a vowel and is followed by a consonant, or if it is at the end of a word.
For example, take the word mother. A non-rhotic accent would drop the /r/ in mother, as it comes at the end of a word. On the other hand, a rhotic accent would pronounce the /r/.
Rhotic Accent: pronunciation
In phonetics, a rhotic /r/ is referred to as a voiced alveolar approximant. This means it is pronounced by curling your tongue up near the roof of your mouth and vocalising out through the mouth.
The tip of your tongue should be just behind your alveolar ridge (the bony part behind your front teeth), but should not be touching it. Your mouth should be narrowly opened and your lips should not be touching.
Do you want an easy way to imagine the /r/ sound in a rhotic accent? Think about a pirate. What is a well-known sound that is often associated with pirates?
Arrr!
This is the /r/ sound!
Some people have difficulty pronouncing the /r/ sound. This is a speech impediment referred to as rhotacism.
Rhotic American accent
Perhaps one of the most well-known rhotic accents is the standard American accent. The majority of American accents are rhotic, meaning the /r/ sound is always pronounced, no matter where it is in a word. For example, take the following words:
hard = /hɑrd/
far = /fɑr/
worst = /wɜrst/
near = /nɪr/
With a rhotic American accent, the /r/ is always pronounced.
Rhotic British accent
The use of the rhotic accent is not as common in British English, as many British accents tend to be non-rhotic (including standard British English). This means the /r/ sound is not always pronounced.
For example, in words such as 'car', 'water' and 'first', the /r/ sound would usually not be pronounced. However, this is not always the case! Some British accents are rhotic, including:
Most West Country English accents.
Corby accent (a town in North Northamptonshire).
Some areas of Lancashire.
Some parts of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Most Scottish accents (although there are some exceptions in areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow).
DID YOU KNOW?
Both Old English (the earliest form of the English language!) and Middle English (spoken from around 1150 - 1450) were rhotic.
Although Standard British English is now non-rhotic, it did not become fully non-rhotic until the early 19th century.
Examples of the rhotic accent
Below are some examples of words and their pronunciations if spoken with a standard American English accent (rhotic) vs with a standard British English accent (non-rhotic). By comparing the two, you will be able to understand the differences between a rhotic and non-rhotic accent.
| Word: Rhotic example | Rhotic accent phonetic pronunciation (American English) | Non-rhotic phonetic pronunciation (British English) |
| Start | /stɑrt/ | /stɑːt/ |
| Burn | /bɜrn/ | /bɜːn/ |
| Water | /wɔːtər/ | /wɔːtə/ |
| First | /fɜrst/ | /fɜːst/ |
| Car | /kɑr/ | /kɑː/ |
| After | /æftər/ | /ɑːftə/ |
| Farmer | /ˈfɑːrmər/ | /ˈfɑːmə/ |
Notice how the /r/ sound is present in all of the rhotic pronunciations, but it has been dropped in all of the non-rhotic pronunciations.
Rhotic Accent - Key takeaways
- A rhotic accent is an accent that always pronounces the rhotic /r/ consonant sound whenever it appears in words.
- The opposite of rhotic is non-rhotic (not pronouncing /r/ if it comes after a vowel and is followed by a consonant, or if it is at the end of a word).
- Most American English accents are rhotic.
- Most British English accents are non-rhotic, but there are exceptions.
- Both Old and Middle English were rhotic. Standard British English did not become fully non-rhotic until the early 19th century.
References
- Fig. 1: Latin letter R (small cap as small form) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Latin_letter_R_(small_cap_as_small_form).svg) by Unknown is licensed by Creative Commons (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en)
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Frequently Asked Questions about Rhotic Accent
What does rhotic mean?
A rhotic accent refers to an accent in which an /r/ is pronounced if it comes after a vowel, and is not followed by another vowel.
Are any English accents rhotic?
Some British sounds are rhotic such as the West Country accents or most Scottish accents. Most American English accents today are rhotic, including standard American English. The same goes for almost all Canadian English accents and most Irish accents.
Which English accents are rhotic?
The English accents that are predominantly rhotic are:
- Most American English accents
- Almost all Canadian English accents
- Most Scottish accents
- Most Irish accents
How is rhotic pronounced?
Rhotic is pronounced roah-tick (rəʊtɪk)
Is general American English rhotic?
Yes, general American English is rhotic.
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