speech problem

[Athos7778]

 :)i have an impedoment that stops me rolling rs. What do i do ? Do i just say them flat?

[Tirea Aean]

all you can do is your best. i would be able to understand. you are most definitely not alone in this. although i am able, countless are not.

[Txonä Unil Stä'nìyu Rolyusì]

Sam Worthington himself was unable to roll his r's because of his Australian accent. He just did the best he could in the movie. We all just have to try and do our best

-Txonä Rolyu

['Oma Tirea]

Sam Worthington himself was unable to roll his r's because of his Australian accent. He just did the best he could in the movie.

I don't recall any Na'vi line that Sam said having any rolled Rs (although Zoë Saldana did, and I wonder if it was her accent that impeded her...)

[Tirea Aean]

Sam Worthington himself was unable to roll his r's because of his Australian accent. He just did the best he could in the movie.

I don't recall any Na'vi line that Sam said having any rolled Rs (although Zoë Saldana did, and I wonder if it was her accent that impeded her...)

I believe he's referring to "Nari" (which is not rolled but flapped/tapped)

I saw the movie last week again and noticed that Zoe couldn't do the rr in "tsakrr za'u aungia..." and "Kawkrr..." (or ever) I think it's possible that she had a similar problem.

I hear that people are born with the in/ability to produce this sound, though I'm not sure that it is impossible to learn.

['Oma Tirea]

I hear that people are born with the in/ability to produce this sound, though I'm not sure that it is impossible to learn.

I doubt it is.  I couldn't properly produce the sound when I was a kid, and now I can do it just fine.  I suppose the other half of it is getting just the 'RR, no epethentic vowel (usually [ɐ]~[ə]).  Only a few languages still retain the syllabic r sound (mainly Eastern European languages).

[Amaya]

I hear that people are born with the in/ability to produce this sound, though I'm not sure that it is impossible to learn.

If you're tongue-tied it is.  And I don't mean "I can't think of what to say" tongue-tied, but the medical condition where the frenulum is too long and ties your tongue down into your mouth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankyloglossia)

[Tirea Aean]

I hear that people are born with the in/ability to produce this sound, though I'm not sure that it is impossible to learn.

If you're tongue-tied it is.  And I don't mean "I can't think of what to say" tongue-tied, but the medical condition where the frenulum is too long and ties your tongue down into your mouth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankyloglossia)

tewti! no doubt this would most certanly prevent 'rr and r from being pronounced... O.o (Personally, for such medical conditions I would excuse the pronunciation of 'rr. plus, even I miss the rolling every now and then. I seem to have to be speaking a tiny bit louder than usual to get it correct.)

[Txonä Unil Stä'nìyu Rolyusì]

Sam Worthington himself was unable to roll his r's because of his Australian accent. He just did the best he could in the movie.

I don't recall any Na'vi line that Sam said having any rolled Rs (although Zoë Saldana did, and I wonder if it was her accent that impeded her...)

I believe he's referring to "Nari" (which is not rolled but flapped/tapped)

I saw the movie last week again and noticed that Zoe couldn't do the rr in "tsakrr za'u aungia..." and "Kawkrr..." (or ever) I think it's possible that she had a similar problem.

I hear that people are born with the in/ability to produce this sound, though I'm not sure that it is impossible to learn.

Oh yes, that's what it was. Oeyä tìkawng. And that's also true that Zoe couldn't roll her r's. When I met CCH Pounder, she also had an accent but I didn't notice any impediments when she was speaking Na'vi in the film. Tho I still can't make out what she's saying lol.

-Txonä Rolyu

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

Athos7778, unless you have a mechanical impediment that makes it impossible to roll R's, you might want to try this:

1. Get furiously angry at someone or something.
2. While in the foam of your anger, start calling that someone or something vrrtep
3. Keep saying vrrtep as fast and as angrily as possible, trying your best to roll the 'rr'.
4. If you are dilligent, and worked up enough, it will eventually come! Notice how the position of your
    tongue changes when this happens (essentially, your tongue is getting a bit tired).
5. Immediately when you reach that stage, start to calm down, while keeping on rolling the 'rr'.
6. Practice rolling your r's as much as you can for several days.

Worked for me (I think I got upset about some law passed somewhere that would result in some lions becoming homeless or worse).

[Tirea Aean]

Interesting strategy ma 'eylan. That actually might work. It just requires true anger which might not be good hrh

I suppose instead of keep on angering yourself on purpose, next time you are naturally angered by someone/something, remember to pracrice your 'rr!

[Txonä Unil Stä'nìyu Rolyusì]

Or pretend you're a growling nantang or palulukan

-Txonä Rolyu

[Tswusayona Tsamsiyu]

so many people have this problem. but you can learn it. just try and try and eventually it will happen. this is how I learned. the tongue should be right on the gum behind the teeth but keep it loose and don't squeeze it tightly against the gum.

by the way, Neytiri does roll her rr's in the movie, but I also noticed that moment in "tsakrr za'u aungia ta Eywa".

[Tirea Aean]

iirc ney never did it right. now Mo'at on the other hand did. very well. she did a great rr when only an r was required hrh

[Dreamlight]

A Spanish teacher of mine said that one in about 4000 people has a mouth-shape that is just wrong for vibrating the tongue against the palate for a rolled R sound.  Well, she also said that it's more like one in 25 among her students, but what can be said about that? 

[Kamean]

Well, she also said that it's more like one in 25 among her students, but what can be said about that? 

About as many cannot roll rs.
In Russia, the inability to pronounce a rolling rs, is not considered a big disadvantage. This includes simply as a feature of speech.

['Oma Tirea]

I sometimes wonder about those languages where their only rhotic is [r] and some people can't pronounce it.  Moreover I sometimes wonder what phoneme they use instead...

[Lance R. Casey]

I sometimes wonder about those languages where their only rhotic is [r] and some people can't pronounce it.  Moreover I sometimes wonder what phoneme they use instead...

You should come to Sweden. Our /r/ situation is (in)famous for being a huge mess.

[Kamean]

All Russian r's are rolling.

[Tswusayona Tsamsiyu]

but are less strong and long.