Tag: cot caught merger

The cot–caught merger is one of the most significant sound changes in North American English, where the vowels in words like cot and caught are pronounced the same by many speakers. This article explores its history, causes, and geographic distribution, explaining why the merger happened, where it’s widespread, and why some regions resist it. It also discusses its impact on teaching, dictionaries, and technology, helping learners understand both merged and non-merged systems for better comprehension and communication.

American English is full of regional accents, each shaped by history, culture, and migration. From the smooth tones of General American to the distinctive vowels of Boston, the musical Southern drawl, and the evolving sounds of Modern American English, every accent tells a story. This guide explores the most common U.S. accents, explains their pronunciation features with IPA examples, and even covers which accents dictionaries use so you can understand and be understood wherever you go.