R-coloured vowel

English

Alternative forms

• R-colored vowel (American spelling)

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

R-coloured vowel (plural R-coloured vowels)

1. (phonology) A vowel modified so that the frequency of its third formant is lowered.

   [ɚ] is an R-coloured vowel; its non-rhotacised form is [ə].

   • 2019 December 9, Graeme Ching, Teaching English: A Practical Guide for Language Teachers, Canadian Scholars, →ISBN, page 231:

     Words such as start, better, and turn, for example, are likely to be pronounced with a lengthened vowel instead of the r-coloured vowel. While this type of substitution may simply sound like a quaint accent, it may also cause […]

Synonyms

• vocalic R, rhotacized vowel

Translations

type of modified vowel

• Finnish: r-värinen vokaali