Question

Which of the following represents a phonological merger characteristic of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) speakers?

A) The merger of /θ/ and /ð/ (theta and eth) sounds, as in "thing" and "this."
B) The merger of /p/ and /b/ sounds, as in "pat" and "bat."
C) The merger of /ŋ/ and /g/ sounds, as in "song" and "wrong."
D) The merger of /k/ and /tʃ/ sounds, as in "cat" and "chat."
E) The merger of /ɑ/ and /æ/ sounds, as in "cot" and "caught."

Answer 1

The merger of /ɑ/ and /æ/ sounds, as in 'cot' and 'caught,' represents a phonological merger characteristic of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) speakers.

The correct answer is option E: The merger of /ɑ/ and /æ/ sounds, as in 'cot' and 'caught,

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is option E: The merger of /ɑ/ and /æ/ sounds, as in 'cot' and 'caught,' represents a phonological merger characteristic of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) speakers.

In AAVE, the vowels /ɑ/ and /æ/ merge into one sound, often represented by the /ɑ/ sound. This means that words like 'cot' and 'caught' are pronounced the same in AAVE.

This merger is an example of a common linguistic phenomenon known as a vowel merger, where two or more distinct vowel sounds merge and become indistinguishable in a particular dialect or language.