Questions tagged [rhotics]
For questions about r-like sounds.
8
questions
9
votes
6answers
2k views
Do any languages contrast [r] and [r:]?
I've heard of languages that contrast [r] and [ɾ] but I am unable to find any language that contrast a normal trill and a long trill. I searched far and near but to no avail. So is there any language ...
12
votes
4answers
1k views
Any languages that consider the alveolar and uvular trill distinct consonant phonemes?
I am intrigued by the difference between alveolar and uvular trills (and related phones) within and across languages, e.g., per this map of European /r/ usage (taken from this comment), which seems to ...
15
votes
2answers
4k views
When and where did the guttural 'r' originate?
I have often wondered why French is (almost) unique in the Romance languages in using the guttural 'r' – in particular, the uvular fricative. Apart from Piedmontese / Piedmontese Italian (and even ...
10
votes
2answers
526 views
Why do phonemes such as /r/ and /ɾ/ evolve into uvular sounds like /ʀ/?
Forgive me if this seems vague, but this is mainly looking at the Germanic languages. Proto-Germanic probably used an alveolar of some sort, most likely a trill.
In terms of Modern Germanic ...
9
votes
1answer
647 views
Does the French R-sound come from Germanic influence?
Unless I'm mistaken, it is the same sound as the R in German, Yiddish, Danish,and Swedish.
4
votes
1answer
197 views
How strong was the r/l distinction in Proto-Afro-Asiatic?
The East Asian languages do not distinguish r and l. The PIE had r/l alternation in suffixes: -tlom/-trom, -dhlom/-dhrom, -ter/-tel, -ros/-los.
What can be said in this context about Afro-Asiatic ...
4
votes
3answers
461 views
Other than Scottish rolled “r” and North American rhotacised vowels, are there any differences across “r” sounds in English dialects?
I'm wondering about subtle differences in /r/ sounds across varieties of English.
By subtle I mean I want to ignore the obvious large differences such as the trilled "r" in Scottish English and the ...
5
votes
1answer
233 views
What were allophone rules for [r] in Old English and Middle English?
I gather that [r] (trill) was realized as [ɹ] in different dialects of Old English and Middle English, but when [r] was used, was it an allophone?
In other words, did [r] vary predictably with [ɹ] (...
