Linking consonant
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A linking consonant is a consonant that is inserted between two vowels.
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[edit] Linking R
The linking R is a phonological phenomenon of most (but not all) non-rhotic dialects of English. In all non-rhotic dialects, the phoneme /ɹ/ does not appear in the coda of a syllable (so spar is pronounced the same as spa). In dialects that possess linking R, if a following word begins with a vowel, /ɹ/ will be realized at the onset of the next word. Thus, for example, the R in here would not be pronounced in here they are, but it would be pronounced in here I am; the R at the end of far would only be pronounced if the next word begins with a vowel, as in far away or far off. In other words, in a non-rhotic dialect with linking R, [ɹ] is retained only if it is followed by a vowel, including across word boundaries.
[edit] Intrusive R
Some (but not all) dialects that possess linking R also possess intrusive R. In a dialect with intrusive R, an epenthetic [ɹ] is added after a word that ends in a non-high vowel or glide if the next word begins with a vowel, regardless of whether the first word historically ended with /ɹ/ or not. For example, intrusive R would appear in Asia[ɹ] and Africa or the idea[ɹ] of it: Asia and idea did not historically end in /ɹ/, but the [ɹ] is inserted epenthetically to prevent a hiatus. Intrusive R also occurs within words before certain suffixes, such as draw[ɹ]ing or withdraw[ɹ]al. This is now so common in England that by 1997 the linguist John C. Wells considered it objectively part of Received Pronunciation, but he noted that it was still stigmatized as an incorrect pronunciation,[1] as it is or was in some other standardized non-rhotic accents.
[edit] Examples of intrusive R
- "I saw(r) a film today, oh boy" (The Beatles, "A Day in the Life")
- "The law(r) is the law!" (Nigel Terry as King Arthur in the 1981 film Excalibur)
- "Brenda(r) and Eddie" (Billy Joel, "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant")
- "When Joanna(r) is here" (McFly, "Little Joanna"}
- "Vodka(r) and tonics" (Elton John, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road")
- In many recordings, Paul McCartney (former Beatle) would pronounce "Linder" when saying the name of his late wife, Linda McCartney.
- "The idea(r) of perfection holds me" (The Cure, "Faith")
- "In a champagne supernova(r) in the sky" (Oasis, "Champagne Supernova")
- "Casanova(r) in Hell" (Pet Shop Boys, "Casanova in Hell")
[edit] See also
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The Letter "R" |
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| General: | The letter R · Rhotic consonants (R-like sounds) · Rhotic and non-rhotic accents · R-colored vowels · Guttural R · Linking R and Intrusive R |
| Pronunciations: | Alveolar trill [r] · Alveolar approximant [ɹ] · Alveolar flap / Alveolar tap [ɾ] · Alveolar lateral flap [ɺ] ·Retroflex approximant [ɻ] · Retroflex flap [ɽ] ·Uvular trill [ʀ] ·Voiced uvular fricative [ʁ] |
| Variations: | (R rotunda) · Ɍɍ (R with stroke) · Ʀʀ · Ȑȑ · Ŕŕ · Ŗŗ · Řř · Ȓȓ · Ṙṙ · Ṛṛ · Ṝṝ · Ṟṟ · Rd · Rh · Rl · Rn · Rr · Rt · Rnd · ᚱ (Raidô) · ℛ (Riemann integral) · ℜ (Real part) · ℝ (Real number) · ® (Registered trademark) · Ⓡ (Enclosed R) |
