Mid back vowels

The relationship between the mid back vowels of American English, /o/ and /ɔ/, is similar to that of their front counterparts, /e/ and /ε/. The vowel /o/, like /e/, is somewhat diphthongized and has a movement higher toward the end in production (hence the symbols /oʊ/ and /ow/ in some books). It is monophthongal (or very narrowly diphthongal) in the northernmost Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota). As mentioned earlier, before a tautosyllabic /ɹ̣/, the distinction between the two vowels is lost for speakers in the New York City area and across the northern USA, west of New England. In the South and upper New England, however, the distinction is maintained. Thus, pairs such as hoarse– horse and morning– mourning may or may not be homophonous depending on the region.