Do British accents really drop the final R?

It depends on what’s next.

Linking R is a phenomenon that occurs in some British accents where an “r” sound is added to the end of a word that ends in a vowel sound, and the next word begins with a vowel sound. For example, in the phrase “the car is old,” a speaker might pronounce it as “the car-ris old,” with the “r” sound linking the words “car” and “is.”

This linking of “r” is a feature of many regional British accents, such as Cockney, Geordie, and West Country. It can also be found in some American English accents, such as Boston and New York.

There are some rules to linking “r” in British accents. The “r” sound is only added when the next word begins with a vowel sound, and not when it begins with a consonant sound. For example, in the phrase “the car is parked,” the “r” sound is not added because the next word “parked” begins with a consonant sound.

Linking “r” is often used in casual speech and can help to create a smoother, more natural-sounding flow of speech. It can also help to avoid awkward pauses between words.

However, not all British accents use linking “r.” In fact, it is considered a feature of non-standard accents and is not typically used in formal settings or in certain accents, such as Received Pronunciation (RP).

Overall, linking “r” is an interesting feature of some British accents that can add a unique flair to speech. While it may not be appropriate for all situations or accents, it is an important aspect of language variation and can be fun to experiment with in casual conversation.