Question

The 'cot'/'caught' merger is when people pronounce the vowel in the word 'cot' (the thing you might sleep on in a cabin) and the vowel in the word 'caught' (past tense of 'catch') the same. In which region of the English-speaking world is this common?

Answer 1

The 'cot'/'caught' merger is common in the Midwest region of the United States, where these words are pronounced identically,s and the pronunciation of /r/ sounds even when 'r' isn't present.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cot/caught merger, where the vowels in the words 'cot' and 'caught' are pronounced the same, is commonly found in the Midwest region of the United States.

This regional pronunciation is a characteristic of Midwest American English. The rhotic dialects of this region also include the pronunciation of /r/ sounds even in words where the letter 'r' is not present, as seen in the word 'wash' being pronounced with an /r/ sound.

It's important to note that spellings like 'behaviour' or 'flavour' with a 'u' are characteristic of British English, whereas American English excludes the 'u'.

English-speaking regions around the world may exhibit nearly as many different pronunciations as the number of people who speak the language, but the cot/caught merger is particularly distinctive in the Midwest of the United States.