Which of the following is an example of phonological diffusion?

• A. Selfie usage becoming common.
• B. Non-rhoticity spreading.
• C. Digital camera adoption.
• D. Analog clock terminology.

Answer: (B)

Phonological diffusion is when a sound pattern spreads from one speech community to another, changing how people pronounce words rather than the words themselves. Non-rhoticity spreading fits this because it’s about pronunciation—whether the /r/ is pronounced in certain position, and how that pronunciation pattern moves across dialects over time. The other options involve vocabulary or technology rather than sound: selfie usage is a lexical change, digital camera adoption reflects technological/semantic shifts, and analog clock terminology is about the names or terms used. So the example that best illustrates phonological diffusion is non-rhoticity spreading.