Betacism

/ˈbeɪtəˌsɪzəm/ noun

Definition

A speech defect in which the 'b' sound is pronounced incorrectly or replaced with another sound.

Etymology

From Greek 'beta' (the letter B) + '-cism' (from '-ism,' a condition or practice). Similar to 'rhotacism' (incorrect 'r' sound), this medical term names a specific pronunciation problem.

Kelly Says

Just as 'rhotacism' describes mispronouncing 'r' sounds (like the character with a 'speech impediment' in movies), 'betacism' is the precise medical term for difficulty with 'b' sounds — such specific vocabulary comes from clinical observation.

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