How did “Dick” become the shortened version of “Richard”?
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If you first shorten Richard you get Rick, which is also a common shortening of the name. As for how the ‘r’ became a ‘d’ it comes down to how we make the sounds. The ‘r’ sound is made at the tip of the tongue by constricting the airflow but not enough to create turbulence. The ‘d’ sound is exactly the same but you use the tip of your tongue to completely block the airflow. It is very easy when speaking quickly that you not only shorten names but also accidentally block the airflow when trying to make an ‘r’ sound turning it into a ‘d’ sound. So this is why Richard gets shortened to Dick.
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