Editing General American English (section)

===Weak vowel merger===
{{main|Weak vowel merger}}
The {{sc2|KIT}} vowel {{IPA|/ɪ/}} in unstressed syllables generally merges with the {{sc2|COMM{{underline|A}}}} vowel {{IPA|/ə/}}, so that the noun ''effect'' is pronounced like verb ''affect'', and ''abbot'' and ''rabbit'' rhyme. The quality of the merged vowel varies considerably based on the environment but is typically more open, like {{IPA|[ə]}}, in word-final or [[Open syllable|open-syllable]] word-initial positions (making ''salon'' {{IPA|[səˈɫɑn]}} and ''comma'' {{IPA|[ˈkʰɑmə]}}), but more close and often more fronted, like {{IPA|[ɪ~ɨ]}}, in other positions (making ''patted'' or ''padded'' {{IPA|[ˈpʰæɾɨd]}} and ''minus'' {{IPA|[ˈmaɪnɨs]}}).{{sfnp|Wells|2008|p=xxi}} (Despite phonetic variation within the latter vowel, the symbol {{angbr IPA|ɨ}} is used consistently on this page.){{refn|Though analyses may differ, the choice to use the symbol {{angbr IPA|ɨ}} here dates back to a tradition starting in the 1950s from linguist [[George L. Trager]] and others.<ref>Flemming & Johnson, 2007, pp. 83-4.</ref>}}