rhotacism
(ˈrəʊtəsɪz(ə)m)
Also rotacism and as mod.L. rhotaˈcismus.
[ad. mod.L. rhōtacism-us, a. Gr. *ῥωτακισµός, f. ῥωτακίζειν to rhotacize. Cf. F. rhotacisme.]
1. Excessive use or peculiar pronunciation of r; spec. the use of the burr or r grasseyé.
| 1834 Southey Doctor xvii, Young Daniel was free from all the isms in Lily, and from rhotacism to boot. 1847 Ibid. ccxxxiii, Neither the Spaniards nor Portuguese retain in their speech that strong Rhotacism which they denoted by the double rr. 1855 Dunglison Dict. Med., Rotacism,..a vicious pronunciation of the Greek ρ, Rau, common in the northern parts of England. 1878 tr. von Ziemssen's Cycl. Med. XIV. 851 note, Fournier has described a peculiar plan of treatment for rhotacism. 1897 Syd. Soc. Lex., Rhotacismus. 1959 ‘A. Burgess’ Beds in East ii. 49 ‘But I'm hungwy.’ A pathetic little-girl's rhotacismus. 1977 Times Lit. Suppl. 11 Feb. 147/3 The privileged families, productive of good shots with..pronounced rhotacismus, are still there to help kill pheasants. |
2. Philology. Conversion of another sound (esp. s) into r.
| 1844 Donaldson Varronianus 205 The same tendency to rhotacism, which is characteristic of the Umbrian, Doric and Old Norse dialects. 1887 R. S. Conway Verner's Law in Italy §5 The Latin accent had become bound by quantity..before rhotacism began, that is before 450 b.c. |