R-coloured vowel

• R-colored vowel (American spelling)

• Audio (US)

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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 […]

• vocalic R, rhotacized vowel