Celtic or Celtic-influenced areas tend to be rhotic - Wales, Scotland, and the West of England generally (not just the West Country, even up to Lancashire). In the South of England, the changeover point is around Oxford; further north, it's just west of Manchester. The Manc accent is not rhotic, but Preston, Bury and Accrington definitely are.
Rhotic speakers always tend to sound American to me (e.g. a lady from Northern Ireland in Amy's kindergarten; the chap who played Dumbledore in the later HP films), even though I know intellectually that "from the British Isles" != "non-rhotic".
*nod* (I just noticed I mentioned the UK and not the British Isles when I should arguably have said that, but I'm not sure about the status of English in the RoI: co-official language, widespread native language, widespread second language, other) and that might conceivably affect the rhoticity.
I'm not aware of any Irish accents with a non-rhotic R. English is officially a recognised second language of the Republic of Ireland, but is actually most people's mother tongue; fluent Irish-speakers are a minority.
Wikipedia has maps, including one of the U.S., which was what I was going to mention. The stereotypical Boston accent/statement is "Pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd."
Surely most of the isles are mainly rhotic accented?
Yes, it's surely rather provincial of me -- it's mostly that the varieties I've been exposed to most are south-eastern ones, i.e. from the non-rhotic area, even if that may not be representative of the speech of the majority of the Isles.
I thought of LOTs of good Wicker/Wicca jokes - - and everyone else had got to them first AND told me lots about the letter r and its pronunciation. Enjoyed reading it all though! (And thanks for the great comment on my blog, Ailbhe) Daphne
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 12:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 03:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 12:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 06:59 pm (UTC)You can tell followers of Wicker by the characteristic marks on their bums.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 07:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 07:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 12:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 01:58 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 01:59 pm (UTC)...I'll get me coat.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 02:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 02:44 pm (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhotic_and_non-rhotic_accents
It's quite common though.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 04:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 05:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 07:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 07:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 07:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 07:52 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 08:01 pm (UTC)Yes, it's surely rather provincial of me -- it's mostly that the varieties I've been exposed to most are south-eastern ones, i.e. from the non-rhotic area, even if that may not be representative of the speech of the majority of the Isles.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 04:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 04:24 pm (UTC)Wicker
Date: 2008-10-15 10:10 pm (UTC)Daphne