Vowels before /r/ CURE

Many speakers of NfldE display, in casual styles at least, a merger of CURE items with those belonging to the NORTH/FORCE set: all (e.g. tour, tore) are articulated with [oɹ] or [ɔɹ]. More educated speakers may make the distinction in the standard manner, but – as in the case of /ir/ and /er – the /ur/-/or/ opposition tends to be a learned rather than a naturally acquired phenomenon in NfldE.