Editing Linking and intrusive R (section)

==Non-rhotic varieties==
{{Main|Rhoticity in English}}

By definition, non-rhotic varieties of English pronounce {{IPA|/r/}}<ref>The rhotic consonant of English is transcribed in various ways depending on dialect, for example {{IPAblink|r}}, {{IPAblink|ɹ}} or {{IPAblink|ɻ}}. For this article, {{IPA|/r/}} is used without regard to the exact realisation of the consonant and without attempting to make any claim about its [[phoneme|phonemic]] status.</ref> only when it immediately precedes a vowel. This is called ''r''-vocalisation, ''r''-loss, ''r''-deletion, ''r''-dropping, ''r''-lessness, or non-rhoticity.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Gick|1999|p=30}}</ref>

For example, even though the word ''tuner'' is spelled with an {{angbr|r}} (which reflects that an {{IPA|/r/}} was pronounced in the past<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Wells|1970|p=240}}</ref>), non-rhotic accents do not pronounce an {{IPA|/r/}} when there is no vowel sound to follow it. In contrast, speakers of rhotic dialects, such as those of Scotland, Ireland, and most of North America (except in some of the [[Northeastern United States]] and [[Southern United States]]), always pronounce an {{IPA|/r/}} in ''tuner'' and never in ''tuna'' so that the two always sound distinct, even when pronounced in isolation.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Wells|1970|p=240}}</ref><ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Trudgill|Gordon|2006|p=236}} lists the distribution of rhotic and non-rhotic dialects more explicitly.</ref> Hints of non-rhoticity go back as early as the 15th century, and the feature was common (at least in [[London]]) by the early 18th century.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Gick|1999|p=31}}</ref>