This split is most well known for its use in Received Pronunciation (RP), which is the standard accent of the upper class in England (or what you hear most on the BBC).

 

To speakers of general American English, the TRAP and BATH vowels sound the same, so it might be difficult to determine which words would fall into the TRAP class and which to the BATH class.

 

Colloquially, the difference is that TRAP has a short-A (IPA: æ) sound while BATH has a broad-A (IPA: ɑ) sound, like in LOT. It is sometimes difficult to determine which words fall into which class. The link at the top of the page is useful for determining more common spellings for each class.

 

Pronunciation Studio (linked below) has a great resource for differentiating the TRAP-BATH split, with sound bites.

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​This merger is more commonly known as the COT-CAUGHT merger, and is common in many American English speakers.​

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LOT and THOUGHT are both low back vowels, hence the name “low back merger.” The low back merger is more common throughout English speakers, so it does not stand out to most. But, if dealing with varieties that have a distinction, it is important to recognize which words belong to which class.

 

This merger is best characterized with cot, nod, and stock (LOT vowels) and caught, gnawed, and stalk (THOUGHT vowels).

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​The Northern Cities Shift is an example of a chain shift, where one vowel moves into another vowel’s “territory,” which causes all of the other vowels to move as well. Below are the vowels that shifted and how they might be pronounced.​

 

Triggers

• ​TRAP raises to [eːə]: Ann sounds like Ian

  • LOT is fronted: locks sounds like lax

 

Developments

• THOUGHT lowers: talks about it sounds a bit like toxic

• STRUT backs: busses sounds like bosses

• DRESS backs: bet sounds like but

• KIT lowers: bit sounds like bet

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The NCS occurs in Northeastern and northern Midwest United States, and it is more common among White people, with women using the most advanced forms.

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​Like cities in the north, Southern vowels also shifted.

 

Trigger

• ​PRICE monophthongizes—bide sounds a bit like bod

 

Further Developments

• ​FACE and DRESS “swap” places

  • ​FACE lowers: goes from [eɪ] to [ɛɪ]/[æɪ] (lowers}

  • DRESS goes from [ɛ] to [ɛə]/[ɛɪə]

• FLEECE AND KIT “swap” places

  • FLEECE goes from [ɪ] to [ɪi]

  • KIT goes from [ɪ] to [ɪə]

• TRAP diphthongized Goes from [æ] to [æɪə]

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