Ace Linguist January 24, 2020 The PIN-PEN Merger The PIN-PEN merger, where words like "pen", "Lenin", and "hem" sound like "pin," "linen," and "him," is one of the most ubiquitous mergers in American English - but it only started spreading a century ago. Its expansion has been silent, as entire regions of the United States acquire the merger while avoiding societal scrutiny. Today we'll be taking a look at this common merger and the history behind its appearance, its spread, and how it's regarded. What is the PIN-PEN merger? Most dialects of English pronounce words spelled with 'in' differently from word spelled 'en'. This means that "pin" and "pen" aren't homophones, and "ten" and "in" don't rhyme.