pronunciation - The american R sound


After doing many research and find more than one result, I would like to know how exactly the R sound is pronounced in American English.


On this video, the woman describes two ways. Firstly, the incorrect one, done by many of her students, in which they curl their tongue backwards:


http://youtu.be/Jq_yIbrD01c?t=35s


Then (at 0:57) she describes the correct way, in which the tongue has to raise in the middle, and stays lower at the tip.


But then in this link it says that both ways are right:


http://pronuncian.com/Lessons/Default.aspx?Lesson=16


I would like to know if americans really only use the one described as "correct" by the woman or if they sometimes mix, or if some americans use the suposedly incorrect version... I even watched another video teaching the "incorrect way" as the right way! (can't post because it limits 2 links... its called "Q&A: How do you pronounce the "R" sound--the American R")


Off: I'm so confused. That woman made me feel really bad for my R, she said it's an OK r sound, but doesn't have the quality of a correct R sound.



Answer



Take a look at the information I link to on this page, which I have titled The geography of America's dialects and cultural affinities compared.


In particular, visit the links for the dialect maps produced by Rick Aschmann, where you will find both audio and video clips illustrating how various sounds are typically pronounced in different regions of the United States. The page depicting his principal dialect map contains numerous supplementary sections that discuss particular linguistic features of American English. Among them is a section on R-coloring which is directly relevant to your question.


I can safely say that both Aschmann's summary of R-coloring and the clips I mentioned will demonstrate that the woman you referred to is thoroughly mistaken in asserting the existence of a so-called 'correct' way to pronounce the sound of the letter R in American English. There are in fact many different ways that Americans sound that letter; it would not be reasonable to demand that they should change their pronunciation merely to suit her preference.


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