R and r

[Stefan Georg]

>  The question is: is there any language in the world which has a *phonemic*
>opposition between dental vibrant /r/ and uvular *vibrant* /R/?

Such languages seem to be extremely rare and it has been questioned that
they exist at all. The only example I can give is that of now elderly
speakers of some Eastern dialects of Occitan, which, according to some
sources, have such a contrast, continuing the Latin contrast  of single vs.
geminate /r/,

e.g.: /gari/ "cured" vs. /gaRi/  "oak tree".

Refs: Coustenoble, Helene N.: La phonetique du Provencal Moderne en Terre
d'Arles, Hertford: Austin 1945

Bouvier, Jean-Claude: Les parlers Provencaux de la Drome: Etude de
Geographie  Phonetique, Paris: Klincksieck 1976

St.G.

Dr. Stefan Georg
Heerstraße 7
D-53111 Bonn
FRG
Tel./Fax +49-228-691332