Dictionary

rhotacism en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈɹəʊ.tə.sɪ.zəm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɹoʊ.tə.sɪ.zəm/ (General-American)

Etymology

From New Latin rhōtacismus, from Ancient Greek *ῥωτακισμός (*rhōtakismós), from ῥωτακίζω (rhōtakízō, “to incorrectly use rho”), from ῥῶ (rhô, “rho (the Greek equivalent of r)”) in analogy with ἰωτακίζω (iōtakízō, “to incorrectly use iota”); itself from ἰῶτα (iôta) in analogy with ἀττικίζω (attikízō, “talk like an Athenian”). By surface analysis, rho + -tacism.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An exaggerated use of the sound of the letter R.
2. (countable) A linguistic phenomenon in which a consonant changes into an R; rhotacization.
3. (countable, uncountable) The inability to pronounce the letter R; derhotacization.
   • From the analysis of Kana writings, hypothesizes that the inability to establish a stable… […] The correction of rhotacism by means of an electric vibrator. 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)
   • For example: r’s may become burrs or guttural grunts or w’s or l’s (rhotacism); […] 1970, Leland E. Hinsie, Robert Jean Campbell, Psychiatric Dictionary, Oxford University Press, page 711:
   • It is universally accepted that the rhotacism, 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 the rhotacism. 2005: Bernard Fogel, PhD, CCC-SLP, Exercising the Rhotacism in Absence of Pathology (ADVANCE)

Forms

Coordinates

zetacism · lambdacism · sigmatism

Deriveds

pararhotacism

Relateds

rhoticity · nonrhotic · non-rhotic · rhotic

Translations (36)

ca rotacisme (linguistic sound change) · fi äänteenmuutos R:ksi (linguistic sound change) · hu rotacizmus (linguistic sound change) · el ρωτακισμός (linguistic sound change) · nl rotacisme (linguistic sound change) · cs ráčkování (inability to pronounce the letter R) · uz rotatsizm (linguistic sound change) · cs ráčkování (exaggerated use of the sound of the letter R) · pl rotacyzm (linguistic sound change) · cs rotacismus (linguistic sound change) · eo rotaismo (linguistic sound change) · eu errotazismo (linguistic sound change) · es rotacismo (linguistic sound change) · ru ротаци́зм (linguistic sound change) · sk rotacizmus (linguistic sound change) · ru грасси́рование (inability to pronounce the letter R) · it erre moscia (inability to pronounce the letter R) · it rotacismo (inability to pronounce the letter R) · it rotacismo (linguistic sound change) · sl rotacizm (linguistic sound change) · la rhōtacismus (linguistic sound change) · de Rhotazismus (linguistic sound change) · hy ռոտացիզմ (linguistic sound change) · sq rotacizëm (linguistic sound change) · hy րեականություն (linguistic sound change) · cs rotacismus (exaggerated use of the sound of the letter R) · ru карта́вость (inability to pronounce the letter R) · es rotacismo (inability to pronounce the letter R) · fi ärrävika (inability to pronounce the letter R) · cy tafod tew (inability to pronounce the letter R) · pt rotacismo (linguistic sound change) · cs rotacizmus (linguistic sound change) · sk ráčkovanie (exaggerated use of the sound of the letter R) · fi rotasismi (linguistic sound change) · fr rhotacisme (linguistic sound change) · ka როტაციზმი (linguistic sound change)