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Soundbites: Little Grandpa

How many Mandarin-speakers add érhuàyīn (儿化音 = Beijing-R, i.e. rhotic pronunciation) onto lǎoyé (老爷 = “Grandpa”)?

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Zhǎodàole lǎoyér
找到了老爷儿
I found grandpa.

This calls for a survey. But as usual, the technical team is behind schedule and over budget in installing the requisite tools.

And how to translate lǎoyér? How about: “gramps”?

Update: the studios don’t usually do reproductions, but since the first two comments impugn the ears of the director, this clip had to be added:

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You’ll just have to believe that the pronunciation isn’t coached!

Comments 7

  1. Randy Alexander wrote:

    I can’t hear it clearly enough to say it’s not there, but I can’t hear any erhua. :(

    Posted 11 Oct 2009 at 10:56 am
  2. Kellen wrote:

    I hear just the tiniest bit of it but I’m really only detecting anything based on the syllable not ending as I’d expect it to for just 老爷.

    Once I get that grant to cover high-end audio recording devices for low-end blog-based researchers, I’ll send a couple your way.

    Posted 11 Oct 2009 at 6:42 pm
  3. syz wrote:

    hmm, all I can say is that it seemed clear at the time. Check out the update, gents. With the usual money-back guarantee, I can promise you it’s laoyer 100% of the time.

    Posted 11 Oct 2009 at 7:43 pm
  4. Kellen wrote:

    Coached! Kidding. But your “thanks” at the end does sound pretty damn smug.

    Maybe she just thinks he’s a lawyer.

    Posted 11 Oct 2009 at 8:32 pm
  5. Kellen wrote:

    Also, I can completely relate to the “clear at the time” bit.

    Posted 11 Oct 2009 at 8:33 pm
  6. syz wrote:

    Smug? me?! Simply the voice of rational inquiry

    Posted 12 Oct 2009 at 5:58 am
  7. chriswaugh_bj wrote:

    I can hear the érhuàyīn in both recordings.

    Posted 12 Oct 2009 at 7:20 pm