Linking consonant

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A linking consonant is a consonant that is inserted between two vowels.

[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. 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.

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. In some standardized non-rhotic accents, such as Received Pronunciation, intrusive R is or was stigmatized as an incorrect pronunciation.

[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)
  • "When Joanna(r) is here" (McFly, "Little Joanna"}
  • "Paula(r) Abdul"
  • "The idea(r) is..."
  • "draw(r)ing"
  • "withdraw(r)al"
  • "vodka(r) and orange
  • "law(r) and ordə" (in which the R in "order" is absent, so that the word which does not end in an R has one added, while the word with an R loses it)
  • In many recordings, Paul McCartney (former Beatle) would pronounce "Linder" when saying the name of his late wife, Linda McCartney.

[edit] See also

The Letter "R"
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)
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