People (I’m in the US) are pretty much always astonished to realize, when I ask them to say the word “important”, that they more often than not will pronounce zero of the T’s in the word, when I point out that they didn’t.
It always really stuck out to me as a kid when Shawnee Smith (probably most famous for the Saw movies now), on the old sitcom Becker, would always enunciate the T’s in that word—that’s what made me realize how weird it was that everyone wasn’t saying it that way, lol.
Hm, I’ll try and find some examples. It just fascinates me how things like language evolve chaotically, like tiny changes that somehow then become the new equilibrium point.
Apparently, there’s some sort of linguistic exchange program within British English where T’s are traded out for R’s, and then a persistent logistics issue causes the R’s to be distributed incorrectly.
Don’t forget the bizarre “r” into everything like drawring, the lawr, etc.
That’s called an intrusive R
Thats more American in my experience That and completely dropping entire parts of words for absolutely no reason I can understand
Ex. Comfortable somehow becomes comftable. Drawer becomes drawr. Wednesday becomes wensday
There’s a lot of commonality there.
Example:
https://youtu.be/x-xTttimcNk
People (I’m in the US) are pretty much always astonished to realize, when I ask them to say the word “important”, that they more often than not will pronounce zero of the T’s in the word, when I point out that they didn’t.
It always really stuck out to me as a kid when Shawnee Smith (probably most famous for the Saw movies now), on the old sitcom Becker, would always enunciate the T’s in that word—that’s what made me realize how weird it was that everyone wasn’t saying it that way, lol.
And hhherbs, because there’s a fucking H in it!
I’ve only ever heard that “added r” thing when watching BBC stuff. Can you link me to some Americans saying drawring instead of drawing, for example?
Huh thats really interesting ive never heard that on BBC
Its all over the place in New England especially in MA
I didnt know people from Boston could pronounce Rs at any point, let alone add more. “Pahk the cah.”
Hm, I’ll try and find some examples. It just fascinates me how things like language evolve chaotically, like tiny changes that somehow then become the new equilibrium point.
The added r shows up in American Midland dialect. Wash becomes warsh, etc
Interesting, thanks.
Apparently, there’s some sort of linguistic exchange program within British English where T’s are traded out for R’s, and then a persistent logistics issue causes the R’s to be distributed incorrectly.
I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking about this important issue… I wonder what Susie Dent thinks of it.