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Knock Knock. Who’s there? R

Do you let the R in?

If you speak most non-American accents of English, you don’t. You ignore your Rs, even though they are right there.

But then…

You conjure up an R when it’s not there in the spelling.

In British English, the Intrusive R is a phenomenon where an “R” sound is added to words that end with certain vowel sounds when followed by a word beginning with a vowel sound. For example, in the phrase “law and order”, an Intrusive R would be added between “law” and “and” so that it is pronounced as “lawr and order”.

The Intrusive R is often used in British English as a way to improve the flow and rhythm of speech. Without the Intrusive R, the transition between words can sound awkward or abrupt, especially in formal or public speaking situations. It can also help to differentiate between words that might otherwise sound the same without the added R sound.

The Intrusive R is most commonly used after words that end with the vowel sounds /ɑː/, /ə/ and /ɔː/. For example, “saw a film” would be pronounced as “sawr a film”. It is also commonly used in phrases like “drawing room”, where the Intrusive R is added between the two words to make it sound like “drawingr room”.

It’s important to note that the Intrusive R is not used by all speakers of British English, and is often seen as a regional or class marker. In some parts of the UK, it is more commonly used than in others. It’s also worth noting that the Intrusive R is not a standard part of English pronunciation, and is not typically taught in English language courses.

In summary, the Intrusive R is a feature of British English where an “R” sound is added between certain words to improve the flow and rhythm of speech. It is most commonly used after words that end with certain vowel sounds, and is not used by all speakers of British English. While it is not a standard part of English pronunciation, it is still an important feature of British English and one that learners of the language may encounter.

 

 

Bianca @ Accent Coach Bianca

I serve the world by empowering people to speak English with confidence in their accent. My enthusiasm results in people feeling like they fit in better socially, and getting better work opportunities.

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