dog's letter

ruzuzu *makes payment to pterrrrrrodactyl* Jan 31, 2011

ruzuzu I'm not sure whether this will answer rrrrrolig's question, but the Century Dictionary does have this to say over on r:

"In Anglo-Saxon the initial r of many words was aspirated (that is, pronounced with an h before it), as hring (our ring); but the aspiration was long ago abandoned, both in pronunciation and in spelling. In Greek initial r was always thus aspirated, and the combination was transliterated in Latin by rh instead of hr: hence the frequency of rh in our words of Greek derivation. Moreover, such an r, when by inflection or composition made medial, became rrh, and double r was in general viewed as rrh: whence that spelling in many of our words (for example, diarrhea, hemorrhage, catarrh, etc.): in recent scientific words and names taken from Greek, the Greek rule and Latin practice as regards the doubling and aspiration of the r are often neglected. The mode of production of the r-sound itself varies greatly in different languages and dialects. Normally its utterance is combined with a distinct trilling or vibration of the tip of the tongue, in various degrees (the sound is thence often called the “dog's letter,” littera canina)." Jan 31, 2011

pterodactyl I have evaluated the samples offered by bilby and sionnach and found that they are indeed very rigorous. They are also aesthetic, cogent, cromulent, and (in sionnach's case) practically libelous. ;)

In light of this, I declare that any royalties they may owe shall be waived in perpetuity.

As for the rest of you... Dec 13, 2008

sionnach Hello:

My name is s©i©o©n©n©a©c©h©. Dec 13, 2008

Prolagus pterodactyl, if you want royalties just go to p and tag it ©. Dec 13, 2008

bilby Noodling here and shnooping there
I did come to know and cherish the legendary Wordie, pterodactyl.
Yet he brazenly demanded P-recompense in verse! Young man, tact'll
Get you everywhere.
Dec 13, 2008

sionnach A young pterodactyl named Pterry
Was in lust with a colleague called Merry
He said "she's so glamorous,
I just gets all amorous".
Pterry ptargeted young Merry's cherry. Dec 13, 2008

pterodactyl (Note: To demonstrate that he is not unkind, and to maintain the honor of the pterosaurs, Pterodactyl would like to announce that the mandatory 3-cent royalties will be waived for any applicant who can provide a rigorous example of silly poetry.) Dec 13, 2008

pterodactyl And don't you forget it! I'm entitled to a 3-cent royalty anytime any of you use My Letter, and some of you are wayyyyyy behind on your payments! Dec 13, 2008

bilby Sarra, ha! But as we all know around Wordie, P is the pterodactyl's letter.
Dec 13, 2008

rolig I'd have thought Q was the dog's letter, wagging its tail and all. What makes R canine? Dec 13, 2008

sarra No, P is the pirate letter - it's their favourite.

Why?

It's like R - but it's only got one leg. Dec 13, 2008

bilby Isn't it the pirate letter? Dec 13, 2008

sionnach the letter 'R'.

"There is only the difference of the dog's letter between friend and fiend."
The Westminster Review (London, UK); 1830.

from the A Word a Day site.
Dec 13, 2008