R is the dog's letter

Insights

Expression of Hostility

The 'R' sound symbolizes aggression, malice, and contempt. To 'sound the dog's letter' at someone is to express scorn or hostility, as reflected in Alexander Barclay's 1509 description of a 'malycious' man who 'Nought els soundeth but the hoorse letter R'.

Symbol of Coarseness

The harsh, guttural quality of the 'R' sound is used to represent coarseness, incivility, or a lack of refinement. It stands in for rough, unpleasant, or threatening communication.

A Warning of Danger

Just as a dog's growl serves as a warning of a potential attack, the 'dog's letter' can symbolize an impending threat or conflict. It is the sound of latent danger before it manifests.

Phonetic and Linguistic Origins

Rooted in the phonetics of early modern English, the proverb reflects the likely guttural, 'rolled' pronunciation of the letter 'R', which closely mimicked a dog's snarl. Ben Jonson's 1640 grammatical analysis specifically notes that 'R...hurreth [snarls] in the sound', confirming its perceived harshness.

Literary and Vernacular Currency

Shakespeare memorably uses this proverb in 'Romeo and Juliet' for a pun. The Nurse teases Romeo that his name starts with 'R', which is the 'dog's name', blending the proverb with a playful, slightly vulgar joke. This demonstrates the saying's integration into common Elizabethan vernacular and humor.

Psychology of Sound Symbolism

The proverb taps into the psychological association between harsh, guttural sounds and negative emotions like aggression and hostility. By linking a letter to a dog's growl—a universal sign of warning and threat—it embeds a sense of primal danger into the very fabric of language.

Rhetorical Devices

Onomatopoeia

The proverb is built on the onomatopoeic quality of the letter 'R', which sonically imitates a dog's growl ('arrr'). This sound-imitation is the core of the proverb's meaning and is highlighted by Nashe's 'They arre and barke'.

Metaphor

The letter 'R' is used as a metaphor for aggression and hostility, drawing a direct comparison between a phonetic sound and a dangerous animal's vocalization.

Personification

The proverb gives an abstract alphabetical character a distinctly animalistic attribute, personifying the letter 'R' by associating it with the voice of a dog.