How to pronounce rhotic
Say it like ROH-tik. Rhotic has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rhotic. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ROH
- tik
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rhotic pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ROHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- tikKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of rhotic
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: ROH-tik.
What does rhotic mean?
- That allows the phoneme /ɹ/ to be followed by a vowel, as in bar (/bɑːɹ/) and bard or barred (/bɑːɹd/); (of an English speaker) who speaks with such an accent.“Rhotic speech is common in Ireland, Scotland, much of the United States, Canada, West Country England, and many parts of the north and west of England.”
- Having a sound quality associated with the letter R; having the sound of any of certain IPA symbols, including /ɹ/, /ɻ/, /ɚ/, /ɝ/ and /r/.
- A rhotic consonant or rhotic vowel (R-colored vowel).
Where does rhotic come from?
Back-formation from rhotacism, coined in 1968 by John C.
Questions about saying rhotic
How do you pronounce rhotic?
Say ROH-tik. The American pronunciation is /ˈroʊtɪk/. In British English it is /ˈrəʊtɪk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rhotic?
Rhotic has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ROH). Broken into parts: ROH · tik.
Is rhotic pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈrəʊtɪk/ (ROH-tik).