Nifty websites Related to Rhotacism

* 'R's are EVERYWHERE! It's time to face them. These websites can help! :D





This site has beneficial information about rhotacism and possible therapeutic cures :

http://www.savoyhill.co.uk/technique/learning/rhotacism.html

This article is an interesting one that may help with theraputic ideas for rhotacism:

http://speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com/Article/010305-Exercising-the-Rhotacism-in-Absence-of-Pathology.aspx/

Another site that does a great job of breaking down and explaining rhotacism and it's effect on world languages:

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Rhotacism

For those of you who are self conscious about saying 'R' words in public, here's a few tricks to help you gradually get rid of that fear of saying 'R's.

Remember practice makes perfect!

http://www.wikihow.com/Pronounce-R%27s

Who Has It? What causes it?

* I do not condone "hunting Iraqi's" by any means. This blog is only about Rhotacism.









I can name 2 t.v. personalities off the top of my head who definitely suffer/ed from Rhotacism:

~Elmer Fudd- From Looney Tunes

~Barbara Walters- Famed t.v. Reporter

Now, what causes this impediment?

Causes are actually unknown but this impediment commonly stems from speakers of languages that contain a trilled R.

A trilled what? A trilled R- is bascially a rolling R. This R exist in langauges like Spanish, Italian, and Polish. All of these languages have R's that roll.

Ex. Carlito in spanish sounds like "Carrlito"

Neat Facts

R sounds are produced differently in males and females.

R sound is a voiceless fricative.

-Females tend to put more energy thrusts into making the sound.
-Males tend to make more "breathy" sounds.


The rhotacism phenomenon occurs in many languages.

-Most of the time, the problem is the same. Constant replacement of consonant sounds with the consonant "r".

A nickname for rhotacism is "baby talk".
This phenomenon causes some words to sound like how a toddler would pronounce them. Ex. "Rock & Roll" Rhotacism ex. "Wok R' Woll

*(see Youtube video at upper right -hand side of page)

The stressed pronunciation of some consonants in words are not affected by rhotacism. Simply meaning that for a word like "Great", the "G would be pronounced.

The "r" sound associated with this impediment actually sounds like a "w". So "great" is actually pronounced "Gwear" in some cases.

Rho What?!!

Rhotacism in a nut shell is a disorder that causes the affected to substitute a non-R sound with some form of an R sound. Some characteristics are:

• the excessive or idiosyncratic use of the r;
• conversely, the inability or difficulty in pronouncing r.
  
• the conversion of another consonant, e.g., s, into r.
  

For example, someone who is affected by this phenomenon would say:

Rard instead of Sand

Porridge instead of Pottage

Sur instead of Sun

Rhotacism encompasses 2 major types:

The n>r type which causes words like new to be pronounced as rew


The s>r or s>z>r type which causes words like desire to be pronounced as derire
*This is the most recognized form of Rhotacism

Other alternative types include the t/d > tapped r type which allows pottage to become porridge

Interesting huh?