The Dropped “R”

by Donald the Dialect Coach

When working on your dialect training, it’s important to remember that the “R” sound is a HUGE part of every dialect.

Depending on the dialect, the “R” sound is either dropped, used heavily, or rolled.

A few dialects that drop the R sound are: British, Cockney, New York, Australian, Southern, South African

Remember we only drop the “R” when it isn’t important in the word.

For Example, let’s use the word “Race.” If we dropped the “R” in “Race” it would become “Ace.” That won’t work at all! If you drop the “R” sound in that word it COMPLETELY changes the word and it’s meaning. The “R” sound is to important to drop in the word “Race.”

A good rule to follow is IF A WORD BEGINS WITH AN R, DON’T DROP THAT R.

Now, let’s look at the word “Heart”

If drop the “R”, it becomes “Hahht.” If you drop the “R” correctly, the word “Heart” will still make sense. Always use common sense and say the word out loud to make sure that it still sounds right.

Lastly, let’s look at the word “Other”

We can easily drop the “R” and still have the word make sense.

A good rule to follow is IF THE WORD ENDS WITH AN R, DROP IT.

Knowing when to drop the “R” will speed along your dialect training tremendously. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. The easier it becomes, the more awesome YOU will become.