As is becoming obvious to the meanest intelligence (don't you just love that phrase....)certain sounds used by the native Glaswegian, and other inhabitants of the neighbouring territories are in fact derived from the stress placed upon the "parent" word as a result of a dialect which utilises such definitive pronunciation aids as the deliberate consonant slur and the emphatic glottal stop in its' make-up.

All of which means that "ra" usually is the sound made by an inhabitant of the great east city when he or she means "the". Interestingly, the interpretation of the "th" sound can be varied from the extreme "RRR" as in "ra" (empahtic "the") to total deletion. A fine example of the latter is "..err" for "there". Thus, a typical conversation can be as follows.

"Errnaebus" - There is no bus.

"Ayrrerabus" - There is indeed a bus.

"Wherrabus?" - Where is the bus?

"Errabus" - There is the bus.

"Whitt, wherrabus?" - Excuse me, I see no bus.

"Errabusowrrer" - The bus is over there.

"Wherrowrrer?" - Where in particular.

"Errowrrer" - Indicating a specific location.

"Awrratsrrer" - Thank you for your assistance.