rhotacism

English

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rhotacism

FromNew Latinrhōtacismus,fromAncient Greek*ῥωτακισμός(*rhōtakismós),fromῥωτακίζω(rhōtakízō,“to incorrectly userho”),fromῥῶ(rhô,“rho (the Greek equivalent of r)”)in analogy withἰωτακίζω(iōtakízō,“to incorrectly useiota”);itself fromἰῶτα(iôta)in analogy withἀττικίζω(attikízō,“talk like an Athenian”).Bysurface analysis,rho+‎-tacism.

rhotacism(countableanduncountable,pluralrhotacisms)

Examples (linguistics)
Latinflosbecomesfloremin theaccusativecase.

Anexaggerateduse of thesoundof the letterR.
(countable,phonology)Alinguisticphenomenon in which aconsonantchanges into an R;rhotacization.
Theinabilitytopronouncethe letter R;derhotacization.
- 1970,Leland E. Hinsie, Robert Jean Campbell,Psychiatric Dictionary,Oxford University Press,page711:
  For example: r’s may become burrs or guttural grunts or w’s or l’s (rhotacism); […]
- 1976:Deafness, Speech, and Hearing Publications, Inc., of Gallaudet College & the American Speech and Hearing Association,DSH Abstracts,volumes 16–17 (1976–1977),page 289(Deafness Speech and Hearing Publications)
  From the analysis of Kana writings, hypothesizes that the inability to establish a stable… […] The correction ofrhotacismby means of an electric vibrator.
- 2005:Bernard Fogel, PhD, CCC-SLP,Exercising theRhotacismin Absence of Pathology(ADVANCE)
  It is universally accepted that therhotacism,a defective utterance of the /r/ sounds, is usually the last and most difficult American English consonant to correct functionally.
  
  I use two methods to help correct therhotacism.

exaggerated use of the sound of the letter R

linguistic sound change

inability to pronounce the letter R