Low-back-merger shift

The low-back-merger shift is a change in the way vowel sounds are made in several accents of North American English. It started in the last part of the 20th century and involves a special change called the low back merger. This change mixes together some vowel sounds found in words like PALM, LOT, and THOUGHT.

Linguists first noticed this shift in California English speakers in 1987 and called it the California vowel shift. Soon after, they found it in Standard Canadian English too, where it became known as the Canadian shift. The same pattern was later found in younger speakers in Western New England English, Western American English, Pacific Northwest English, and Midland American English.

Scientists who study language have tried to understand how these shifts might be related, but they don't all agree yet. Because of this, many names have been suggested for this big change across different regions, including the third dialect shift, elsewhere shift, short front vowel shift, and North American shift. Similar changes in vowel sounds have also been found in other English dialects around the world, such as Received Pronunciation, Indian English, Hiberno-English, South African English, and Australian English. These are interesting because they happen without the same vowel mixing that starts the low-back-merger shift.

Canadian Shift

The Canadian Shift is a change in the way some vowel sounds are made in Canadian English. It mainly affects the short sounds in words like trap, dress, and kit. These sounds are made lower and further back in the mouth.

This shift is linked to another change where the sounds in words like cot and caught start to sound the same. As this happens, other vowel sounds shift to take their place. Studies show that this change is more noticeable in some areas and among certain groups of people, like younger speakers in cities such as Montreal and Vancouver. The shift makes certain words sound a bit different compared to other English speakers, especially in the United States.

Similar shifts in the United States

In the United States, the cot–caught merger is common in many areas, especially in the Midland and West. However, people with this merger often do not show the same vowel shift as Canadian English speakers. This is because the merged vowel sound is less rounded and lower, leaving less room for certain changes.

California

Main article: California vowel shift

In California English, there is a vowel shift with features similar to the Canadian shift. This includes changes in the sounds of certain vowels. Even though the vowel in words like "palm" may not be as rounded as in Canadian English, the shift still happens. The change in one vowel sound is more connected to the change in another sound than to the low back merger.

Other Western states

Main article: Western American English

The Atlas of North American English shows that in the Western United States, about one in four speakers show the Canadian Shift. Recent data suggests this shift is common among younger speakers in the West.

Stanley (2020) found evidence of the shift in Cowlitz County, Washington. The sounds changed in a way that caused certain vowels to lower and move backward. However, speakers still kept two vowel sounds separate, though they were very close.

The Midland

Main article: Midland American English

Durian (2008) found evidence of the Canadian shift in Columbus, Ohio, in the U.S. Midland. In Columbus, one vowel sound is changing without lowering, while another sound has merged with a class of vowels that are moving upward. This creates space for another vowel to move backward.

Western Pennsylvania

Main article: Western Pennsylvania English

In Pittsburgh, where the cot–caught merger is common, a vowel sound usually stays in the middle. But as this changes, some younger speakers are starting to move another vowel backward.

Reversal of the Northern cities shift

Main article: Inland Northern American English

In parts of Wisconsin, despite a different vowel shift, some vowels are moving downward and backward, and another vowel is moving upward and backward. This change is more connected to the movement of one vowel than to a full merger.

The South

Jacewicz (2011) also found evidence for the shift in parts of North Carolina. Vowel sounds moved downward and changed, undoing a different shift. Another vowel moved upward and backward, though a full merger was not complete.

In the ANAE, the speech of Atlanta, Georgia, is seen as a Midland dialect. Younger speakers in Atlanta are changing vowel sounds and have nearly merged two vowel sounds.

New York City

Main articles: New York City English and New York accent

In New York City, younger non-white speakers show changes in vowel sounds, including moving certain vowels downward and backward. This happens even though traditional New York City English has a complex pattern for one vowel sound. Younger speakers are also changing how they say certain vowels before specific consonant sounds.