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From: michaelm@bcsaic.UUCP (michael b maxwell)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: RhoDisland 'R'
Message-ID: <393@bcsaic.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Dec-85 14:03:03 EST
Article-I.D.: bcsaic.393
Posted: Mon Dec  2 14:03:03 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Dec-85 05:41:08 EST
References: <2554@sjuvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: michaelm@bcsaic.UUCP (michael b maxwell)
Distribution: net
Organization: Boeing Computer Services AI Center, Seattle
Lines: 16
Summary: 

In article <2554@sjuvax.UUCP> tmoody@sjuvax.UUCP (T. Moody) writes:
>Back in Rhode Island (actually pronounced > r'DIsland ), there is an
>unusual consonant transformation, which I've never heard anywhere
>else.  In certain contexts, the 'r' sound is changed to a rather soft
>'v' sound.
I can't tell for sure from your description, but it sounds like it might
be a bilabial fricative.  The usual "v" in English is a labiodental
fricative; if you stand in front of a mirror, you can see your lower lip
touch your upper teeth when you make it.  In a bilabial fricative, your
lower lip would almost touch your upper lip.  A "w" is similar, but your
lips are rounded (and definitely don't close).
If this is the sound "r" turns into, I'd agree it's a very unusual shift.
-- 
Mike Maxwell
Boeing Artificial Intelligence Center
	...uw-beaver!uw-june!bcsaic!michaelm