FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Cabin crew announcements - is there a minimum standard?
Old Oct 8, 2019 | 6:42 am
  #55  
wilsnunn
5 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Accor Live Limitless Gold, Hilton Honours Gold, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,807
Will people be starting to complain soon about the difference in pronunciation of the "r" sound in English?

The "correct" pronunciation of the "r" sound - as in Recieved Pronunciation - is very similar to that of an "l".

The (nowadays) more common pronunciation, especially amongst those towards the younger end of the spectrum, of the "r" sound is much closer to a "w" sound yet is still an "r" sound.

Studies have shown that a majority of British people cannot hear the difference between these two sounds when it is not being emphasised, but native speakers of other languages, such as Arabic can hear the difference very clearly.

I for one am in the minority of Brits who are able to distinguish between the two yet find it very hard to pronounce my "r"s in the "correct" way, despite the fact that I wish I did and have tried on numerous occasions to adjust this and I very much appreciate hearing somebody who is able to pronounce their "r"s in the manner prescribed in RP.

Very few cabin crew in my recent BA flights have actually succeeded in having a "correct" pronunciation of "r", and it begs the question, at what point does the norm become correct as opposed to traditional views of correctness of pronunciation?
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