Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 February 2009
The two phonemes which, in Standard English and the dialects of southern English, inasmuch as the latter deviate from the standard, have shown a tendency to be lost, /h/ and /r/1, at least in certain positions, have been fully retained in all varieties of Irish English. There is no /h/-dropping (Wells 1982:23ff.) in Irish English and /r/ is maintained in all positions where it is indicated by the orthography. The orthography offers a convenient yardstick here as the two innovative occurrences of /r/ in Received Pronunciation, linking /r/ and intrusive /r/ (Gimson 1980:208f.) are not recognized orthographically and are not found in Irish English either.