Pronunciation: The intrusive /r/

Tim's hard at work in the pronunciation workshop. This time, he's talking about sounds that you can hear, even when they don't - or shouldn't - exist!
For more, visit our website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/towards-advanced/unit-5/session-5

Transcript:
Tim
Hi, I'm Tim and this is my pronunciation workshop. Here I'm gonna show you how English is really spoken. It'll help you become a better listener and a more fluent speaker. Come on, let's go inside.

Have you ever seen a ghost? No, of course you haven't, because they don't exist. But have you ever heard a sound that wasn't there? Well, if you've listened to lots of real English, you probably have. We asked the people of London what they think is the most important thing the government should prioritise. This is what they said:

Voxpops
I think law and order is important.
Yes, I think law and order is important.
Law and order is very important.
We all think that law and order is important.
I think law and order is very important.

Tim
Meet my boys. 'Law' and 'order'. Join them together with the word 'and' and you can hear another sound after the word 'law'. Listen out for it.

Voxpops
I think law and order is important.
Yes, I think law and order is important.
Law and order is very important.
We all think that law and order is important.
I think law and order is very important.

Tim
In fluent speech, if a word ends in an /ɔː/ sound, like law and the next word begins in an /ə/, you'll often hear a /r/ sound linking them together. Law-r-and order. Law-r-and order. 'Law-r-and order' is easier to say than 'law and order'. It flows better.

And this is called intrusion. Now this is a little bit controversial. It doesn't happen in all accents and some people do say it's not the proper way to speak. But it is something you will hear. Just remember the /r/ sound is not very strong. Here are some other examples:

Examples
Can you draw a circle freehand?
My dog hurt its paw on some broken glass.
There was a flaw in the argument.
I saw a good film last night.

Tim
Right, so you've heard the examples, now it's your turn. Are you ready to give it a try? Listen and repeat.

Examples
Can you draw a circle freehand?
My dog hurt its paw on some broken glass.
There was a flaw in the argument.
I saw a good film last night.

Tim
How did you do? Well done. Now, if you want to read more about this topic, please visit our website bbclearningenglish.com. That's it from the pronunciation workshop for this week. Bye.

Now, do you want a war or what? Ow!

Hi, I'm Tim and this is
my Pronunciation Workshop.

Here I'm gonna show you
how English is really spoken.

It'll help you become a better listener
and a more fluent speaker.

Come on,
let's go inside.

Have you ever seen a ghost?

No, of course you haven't,
because they don't exist.

But have you ever heard
a sound that wasn't there?

Well, if you've listened to lots of
real English, you probably have.

We asked the people of London
what they think is the most important

thing the government
should prioritise.

This is what they said:

Meet my boys.
'Law' and 'order'.

Join them together
with the word 'and'

and you can hear another
sound after the word 'law'.

Listen out for it.

In fluent speech,
if a word ends in an /ɔː/ sound,

like law and the next
word begins in an /ə/,

you'll often hear a /r/ sound
linking them together.

Law-r-and order.
Law-r-and order.

'Law-r-and order' is easier
to say than 'law and order'.

It flows better.

And this is called
intrusion.

Now this is a little
bit controversial.

It doesn't happen
in all accents

and some people do say
it's not the proper way to speak.

But it is something
that you'll hear.

Just remember the /r/ sound
is not very strong.

Here are some
other examples:

Right, so you've heard the examples,
now it's your turn.

Are you ready
to give it a try?

Listen and repeat.

How did you do?
Well done.

Now, if you want to read
more about this topic,

please visit our website
bbclearningenglish.com.

And that's it from the Pronunciation
Workshop for this week.

Bye bye.

Now, do you want
a war or what? Ow!