This invention relates to aqueous emulsions comprising a water-dispersible copolymer which is non-dispersible in aqueous solutions containing 0.5% or more of an inorganic salt, comprising acidic ethylenically unsaturated monomers and ethylenically unsaturated monomers. The acidic ethylenically unsaturated monomers and the ethylenically unsaturated monomers are defined herein. The present invention also pertains to emulsion polymerization methods for making the aqueous emulsions with or without a surfactant.