Re: Two seperate questions: Rhoticity/Topic-Comment

Carsten, 

There are many areas in the German speaking countries where [r] or [4] is
still heard. It was the dominant realisation until the late 19th century, so
you will find it in the typical “Rückzugsgebiete” (areas of withdrawal).
These are usually rural areas with a high frequency of local dialect
speakers, as opposed to urbanised or suburbanised areas with
close-to-standard regional dialects. There are many areas in the North where
conservative varieties of Low Saxon realise /r/ as [r] or [4]. Also in the
South-West, especially rural Swabia, large parts of Switzerland, and the
Upper Franconian and many Bavarian dialects as you mentioned already, but
also in the Hesse and Palatinate. The moribund dialects of the areas lost
after the second world war predominantly had [r].  

Dan


From: Carsten Becker
Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 10:46 AM
”Hallo,

Just out of curiosity, are there other regions in Germany besides Franconia
and Bavaria where they have [r] for /r/ today? I should know it as a native
speaker, but I don't. Heh, Franz Müntefering even has got something in
between [4] and [r\`] for /r/ -- he's from the Rhineland AFAIK. But other
than that I cannot think of other regions with 'funny' r's.

[...]

Yours,

Carsten”