Glottal Stop (Noun)
Meaning
A stop consonant articulated by releasing pressure at the glottis; as in the sudden onset of a vowel.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The glottal stop in Hawaiian allows for a smooth transition between vowels in a word like 'Hawai'i'.
- In many regional dialects of English, the glottal stop has replaced the alveolar stop at the end of a word or before another consonant in syllable-final position.
- A distinct glottal stop is a phonemic feature in some languages like Hawaiian and Yuchi, serving to distinguish between otherwise identical words.
- In singing, the glottal stop has been discouraged, but it is sometimes necessary as an articulation aid when using the voice in an extended range.
- Learning the glottal stop properly is essential for members of British punk bands since this sound is often encountered in London English dialects and can be associated with their characters and identities.