Introduction

In the languages of the world, there exists a great variety of sounds collectively called liquids, with two subcategories (the l-type and the r-type). From one language to another, the sounds in each of the two subcategories may be extremely different phonetically, as is the case for the French and English rs. In addition, in a given language, more than one kind of l or r may be found; such phonetic distinctions may correspond to meaning distinctions, as is the case for the two kinds of r which are found in Spanish pero ‘but’ and perro ‘dog’. They may also simply depend on the phonetic context, as is the case for the two kinds of l which appear in the speech of many English speakers (compare, for example, the initial l in leave and the final l in veal). Finally, the phonetic differences may be dialectal variations or, for a given speaker, free variations, as is the case for certain kinds of r in French.

This chapter is mainly concerned with explaining and resolving the difficulties which the sounds l and r pose for English speakers learning French, but at the same time it offers an overview of the main varieties of l and r which are commonly found in the languages of the world.

l, r, and syllabicity

Before considering the articulatory differences which separate the consonants l and r in English and in French, it is appropriate to note the distinct functional roles which these consonants can play with respect to syllabification in the two languages.