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Article published In:
English World-Wide
Vol. 38:3 (2017) ► pp.275–304

Are New Zealanders “rhotic”?

The dynamics of rhoticity in New Zealand’s small towns

| Massey University

Rhoticity is highly variable across English varieties. Traditionally, descriptions of English have distinguished between “rhotic” and “non-rhotic” varieties. However, Harris’s (2013) recent description of three core rhotic systems (R1, R2 and R3) demonstrates that this dichotomy is overly simplistic. The literature describes New Zealand English (NZE) as “non-rhotic”, with partial rhoticity in the lower South Island. This paper reports on data collected in two semi-rural towns in the North Island where young New Zealanders employ a “mixed” distribution of rhoticity. Alongside /r/ use which is traditionally associated with “non-rhotic” varieties (Harris’s R2 and R3), speakers also exhibit /r/ use which is associated with “rhotic” varieties (Harris’s R1). The findings suggest that dynamic rhoticity in NZE, which also persists historically in Englishes world-wide, can be represented more effectively by dispensing with the notions “rhotic” and “non-rhotic”, and by treating rhoticity as a continuum of /r/ use.

Keywords: New Zealand English, rhoticity, phonological variation
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Systemic variation in rhoticity
    • 1.2Intravarietal variation in rhoticity
    • 1.3Microvariation in rhoticity
  • 2.New Zealand English rhoticity
    • 2.1Background
    • 2.2Locations
    • 2.3Participants
    • 2.4Coding and analysis of /r/
  • 3.Results
    • 3.1Preconsonantal /r/
    • 3.2Prevocalic /r/
    • 3.3Current trends in NZE rhoticity
  • 4.Discussion
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 1 December 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.38.3.02mar
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