Rolling The "r"

[HedKeeQuai]

Lately I've been getting very frustrated. I can now speak 3 languages where native speakers roll their r's but I can't seem to do it! If I try it sounds like I'm choking.

Do you know of any techniques I can practice to help me? I must learn, it sounds so cool (especially in Thai)

[bina]

if u roll your r's with your tongue: try blowing bubble gum and doing tongue curls to gain flexibility (my son did this for speech therapy ) then learn to blow bubble in your water glass by blowing air from the back of your throat , or gargel (this is like making the rolled r from the back of your throat) , in hebrew, some people use the tongue rolls and some the throat rolls, depending on ethnic background... and some the 'r' sound just sort of disappears and some turn it into an 'l' sound... i suspect like what happens in thai, depending on what area u learn to speak it in...

[HedKeeQuai]

yea, i don't like when they substitute the "r" with an "L".

That "L" represents Laziness

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Benny Hill used to ask young Chinese girls to roll their R's

[chuchok]

Ask Jockstar..the Scots have been doing it for centuries

[yoot]

To pronounce Thai 'r' is by touching the end of your tongue at the middle of the roof of your mouth and then blowing air from your throat through the tongue and the roof of your mouth till your toungue vibrate, the vibration's sound is ' ร ' sound.

[Bull]

Ask Jockstar..the Scots have been doing it for centuries 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No problem for Spaniards either!!!

[meadish_sweetball]

if u roll your r's with your tongue: try blowing bubble gum and doing tongue curls to gain flexibility (my son did this for speech therapy ) then learn to blow bubble in your water glass by blowing air from the back of your throat , or gargel (this is like making the rolled r from the back of your throat) , in hebrew, some people use the tongue rolls and some the throat rolls, depending on ethnic background... and some the 'r' sound just sort of disappears and some turn it into an 'l' sound... i suspect like what happens in thai, depending on what area u learn to speak it in...

The throated, gargel "r" as in German, Standard French, Dutch, Danish and Southern Swedish is not like the rolled "r" in Thai so I would not advice anyone to emulate that - it sounds just as bad as, if not worse than, the unrolled "r".

Go for the Scottish, Finnish, Spanish, Italian type of "r" instead - especially the Spanish one is very pronounced and strong.

Arrrrriba!

[BIG SPUDS]

I get my GF to substitute the "R" for "er" when said quickly with the remainder of the word is sounds perfect.

I am from england and i cant roll my "r"s

[suegha]

I find touching the front part of your pallet with your tongue and pronouncing the word like it has more than one 'r' and breathing over it really helps, it gives a slight vibration to the tip of the tongue. I don't know if this helps but my Thai friends say I pronounce it well - best of luck with it.

[Spee]

Do you know of any techniques I can practice to help me?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I learned how to roll my R's when I was studying and using Spanish. My skills have slipped a lot because I don't use Spanish much anymore. But rolling R's in Thai is very much like rolling the double-R's in Spanish, just not quite as exaggerated.

Possibly this may help, a link to some international tongue twisters:

http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister

From which I pulled these good double-R tongue twisters:

Un burro comía berros y el perro se los robó, el burro lanzó un rebuzno, y el perro al barro cayó.

Jorge el cerrajero vende cerrajes en la cerrajería.

Erre con ""erre"" cigarro,

""erre"" con ""erre"" barril.

Rápido corren los carros,

Cargados de azucar del ferrocarril.

HTH, have fun!

[HedKeeQuai]

I can almost do it now! I found a very interesting site detailing the intricacies of rolling one's R.

"1. Touch tip of tongue to roof of mouth.

2. With relaxed jaw muscles, flick tongue downwards and allow it to vibrate off the back of your front teeth.

Alternate theories have the tip of the tongue vibrating off the roof of the mouth, or where the gums are. Try each method a couple times to see which one works best for you."

How to roll your R'[email protected]

[anna234cn]

Benny Hill used to ask young Chinese girls to roll their R's

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess half of Chinese cannot pronounce this "r", including me.

But I found something strange on me. When "r" is located after "t", then I can roll the "r" perfectly, so I like to say "strrrrong" even tho this is an English word. If the "r" is at the beginning of a word, then I cant do it, like roi.

My dad tried to teach me this "r" when I was three yrs old. But till now, I am still not able to do it. My parents said if it was necessary, I needed get an operation to my tongue. Then I will be able to pronounce. But I am afraid to get an operation.

[alex100]

Ask Jockstar..the Scots have been doing it for centuries 

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aye yerrr a rarrrre wee brrrammerrr - A rrrite Jim!!!

Try and get a copy of two literary classics Oor Wullie or The Broons and you will rolling away in no time

[alex100]

It not really rolloing R's - I have just been listening to my wife and some of her Thai mates bullshitting over breakfast taking about David Beckham and his missus every time they say Victoria it comes out Bacteria most amusing.