The Decline of Traditional English Accents: Is the British 'r' Ready to Roll Away?
Researchers from Lancaster University have found that the pronunciation of the "r" sound at the end of words is disappearing in England, except in Blackburn where it remains. The study, which focused on rhoticity, the pronunciation of the consonant "r," found that young speakers in Blackburn pronounce the "r" weakly and less frequently than older speakers. The research raises concerns about whether future generations will even hear these weak "r" sounds and if the distinction will eventually fade away. The study also found that rhoticity was stronger in males and that formal speech styles increased rhoticity. The disappearance of traditional dialects and linguistic homogenization in England is a growing concern.