KnowraPhonemic mergerLinked fromLinked fromThe 7 pages that link to Phonemic merger, each with the reason it gives.All 7Broader topic 1Related 3Narrower topic 1Compared with 2Great Vowel ShiftCompared with: The shift primarily reorganized vowel qualities rather than simply merging long-vowel contrasts.AllophoneCompared with: A merger changes contrasts, whereas allophony describes variants within a category.Neogrammarian hypothesisBroader topic: Mergers illustrate regular change while showing that outcomes can depend on linguistic history.Phonological changeRelated: When formerly distinct sounds converge, a contrast in the sound system disappears.MonophthongizationRelated: A monophthongized diphthong may merge with an already existing vowel.BetacismRelated: Betacism can eliminate the contrast between /b/ and /v/.Phonological history of EnglishNarrower topic: Mergers explain why some historical word distinctions no longer survive in particular English varieties.