Are words like ''pull'' and ''pool'', ''full'' and ''fool'' pronounced the same in Australian English? To me, it sounds like they do when I hear them pronounce words like ''pool'', and ''school''. Others, however seem to pronounce ''pool'' and ''fool'' as ''poo-el'', and ''foo-el''.
No. ''pull'' and ''pool'' are not pronounced the same in any region of Australia. They are pronounced the same in vowel quality in South Australian i.e. /pUl/ and /pU:l/, but still not the same. They sound the same to people not from South Australia, because they pronounced them very similarly, but still not the same.
''pronounced'' should be ''pronounce''
I pronounce ''pull'' and ''pool'' differently, but I'm from Wales, not Australia. As far as I know, all accents distinguish ''pull'' and ''pool''.
I forgot to add that I am from South Australia and pool and fool are pronounced slightly differently around Aust (Queensland and New South Wales)
That's that then: there is no PULL-POOL merger in AusE.
I've read in other threads that the same means is used to distinguish "cvnt" from "can't". Do some Australian speakers merge these two words?
Bob - maybe, but I don't. For cvnt, I put stress on "c" so it sounds like chhh and my "u" is much shorter than in can't.
I have heard there is a merger of 'cunt' and 'can't' (forgive me for the bad language) in AusE?
Also in NZE they have a merger of 'sex' and 'six'
I'll put up an mp3 soon, I don't say them the same way
Frances are you referring to what I said? Please can you do it for me :) and also 'LOL' request - I am quite interested
Thankyou
You all are mistaking chain shifts as being phonemic mergers.