Features- R-Lessness

In some regions as New York, Boston and Atlanta, English speakers show a lengthened vowel instead of r in words like car, bore, for. Black English speakers show an even higher degree of r-lessness. The r of spelling becomes a glide or disappears before vowels as well as before consonants or pauses. Even in the middle of words, the BES omit r. E.g. Carol= Cal.

To see (or hear) some examples of the r-lessness watch this interview with Jay Z:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g16kDX1jv5o

Source: Language in the Inner City: Studies in the Black English Vernacular. LABOV, William.

Link:

http://books.google.com.br/books?id=snEEdFKLJ5cC&printsec=frontcover&dq=labov+-+inner+language&hl=pt-BR&ei=qLKOTNOAL8H58Aai1NHwCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false