RP linking and intrusive /r/

Linking /r/

Accents of English throughout the world may be divided into two main types depending on whether the letter <r> is realised in non-prevocalic positions (i.e. before a consonant or a pause).

In rhotic accents (e.g. AE, Scottish English, Irish English) every <r> in the spelling has a spoken realisation.

In non-rhotic accents (e.g. RP and Australian English) <r> is realised in speech only when it is immediately followed by a vowel.

RHOTIC ACCENTS - /r/ is pronounced in all contexts/environments

NON-RHOTIC ACCENTS - /r/ is pronounced only before vowels

hear /hɪe/ /hɪr/

hearing /hɪərɪŋ/ /hɪrɪŋ/

hear me /hɪə mi/ /hɪr mi/

hear it /hɪər ɪt/ /hɪr ɪt/

doctor /dɒktə/ /dɑ:ktər/

doctor Johnson /dɒktə dʒɒnsən/ /dɑ:ktər dʒɑ:nsən/

doctor Anderson /dɒktər ændəsən/ /dɑ:ktər ændərsən/

Intrusive /r/:

  1. Intrusive /r/

The linking /r/ serves to make the transition between two vowel sounds smoother. To achieve the same effect, some non-rhotic speakers will insert an /r/ between vowels also when there is no <r> in the spelling:

Maja and Max /maɪər ən mæks/

Drawing /drɔ:rɪŋ/

This is the RP intrusive /r/. It is intrusive because it is used even if it does not occur in the spelling.

The RP intrusive /r /may be used:

after the monophthongs /ɑ:/, /ɔ:/, /ɜ:/

after /ə/ as a monophthong or as the final element in a diphthong

The intrusive /r/ is by no means obligatory in RP. Some RP-speakers are even opposed to its use. You do not need to use intrusive /r/ in your own pronunciation if it feels unnatural.