Rhoticism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A phonetic trait that denotes the pronunciation of the 'r' sound distinctly in various dialects
2. A speech characteristic reflecting how the 'r' sound is articulated in specific accents or languages
3. A linguistic feature identified by the clear articulation of the 'r' sound in certain dialects or languages

Etymology: Rhoticism is a compound built in English from "rhotic" and the suffix "-ism," and its first half is itself a coinage with a Greek core. "Rhotic" is formed from "rho," the name of the Greek letter that stands for the r sound, and the adjective is applied to speech sounds that involve r. The suffix "-ism" comes ultimately from Greek "-ismos," a marker of a practice, condition or doctrine, so the whole word names a feature of speech: the habit of pronouncing r. The Greek suffix passed into English through Latin and French, and it is the same ending found in "baptism" and "criticism." Rhoticism therefore sits in a long line of technical names that English built from classical parts when a precise term was needed for a sound pattern.