glottal stop: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Academic, Technical, Linguistics
Quick answer
What does “glottal stop” mean?
A consonant sound produced by momentarily and completely closing the glottis (the space between the vocal folds) in the throat.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A consonant sound produced by momentarily and completely closing the glottis (the space between the vocal folds) in the throat.
In phonetics, a type of plosive consonant (symbol: ʔ) found in many languages, including as an allophone of /t/ in many dialects of English. It can also refer to the specific phonological phenomenon of T-glottalisation in certain English accents.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, the glottal stop as an allophone of /t/ (T-glottalisation) is widespread in many regional accents (e.g., London, Glasgow, Midlands) and increasingly in informal speech nationally. In the US, it is less common as a /t/ replacement; it's typical in some dialects (e.g., New York City 'bottle') and in the interjection 'uh-oh'. In American English, /t/ is more often realized as a flap [ɾ].
Connotations
In the UK, heavy use of the glottal stop can be stigmatized as 'lazy' or 'uneducated' in formal contexts, though this view is changing. In the US, it's less socially marked but can be associated with specific regional speech patterns.
Frequency
Far more frequent in discussion and occurrence in UK English contexts due to its prominence in sociolinguistic debates and common usage.
Grammar
How to Use “glottal stop” in a Sentence
The glottal stop occurs in [WORD/PHRASE].Speakers of [DIALECT] often use a glottal stop for [SOUND].The phoneme /t/ is realized as a glottal stop in [CONTEXT].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “glottal stop” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He tends to glottalise his 't's in casual speech.
- The presenter was advised not to glottal stop so frequently during the broadcast.
American English
- Some dialects glottalize the final /t/ in 'cat'.
- Linguists study how children learn to glottal stop.
adverb
British English
- He said 'computer' very glottally.
- The 't' was pronounced almost glottally.
American English
- The sound was produced glottally, not orally.
adjective
British English
- Her glottal pronunciation marked her as being from East London.
- It was a very glottalised rendering of the phrase.
American English
- The word has a glottal onset in Hawaiian.
- He used a glottal reinforcement for the /p/ sound.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used, except potentially in presentations about marketing to specific regional demographics.
Academic
Common in linguistics, phonetics, sociolinguistics, and language studies departments.
Everyday
Used when discussing accents, pronunciation, or language learning. E.g., 'He has a strong glottal stop when he says 'water'.'
Technical
The precise term in phonetics for the sound represented by the IPA symbol ʔ. Used in speech therapy, acoustic analysis, and phonological theory.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “glottal stop”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “glottal stop”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “glottal stop”
- Spelling it as 'glotal stop'.
- Pronouncing it as /ˈɡlɒ.təl/ instead of /ˈɡlɒt.əl/.
- Thinking it only applies to the letter 't'; it is a distinct sound that can replace other stops in some languages.
- Assuming it is always 'incorrect' or 'bad' English.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not 'wrong' from a linguistic perspective. It is a natural feature of many English dialects. However, in some formal or traditional educational contexts, it may be discouraged.
No, but many do. English uses it as an allophone (a variant sound). Languages like Arabic and Hawaiian have it as a distinct phoneme (meaningful sound) in their inventory.
The International Phonetic Alphabet symbol is ʔ, which looks like a question mark without the dot.
Yes. Practice saying 'uh-oh' slowly and feel the catch in your throat between the two parts. That is a glottal stop. Try replacing the 't' in 'cat' or 'butter' with that same throat catch.
A consonant sound produced by momentarily and completely closing the glottis (the space between the vocal folds) in the throat.
Glottal stop is usually academic, technical, linguistics in register.
Glottal stop: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡlɒt.əl ˌstɒp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡlɑː.t̬əl ˌstɑːp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Mind your glottal stops! (humorous admonition about speech)”
- “Full of glottal stops (describing a strong regional accent)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the tiny stop in your throat when you say 'uh-oh' — that 'catch' is the glottal stop. Think: 'It's a stop made by the glottis.'
Conceptual Metaphor
THE VOCAL FOLDS ARE A DOOR (that can slam shut to stop the airflow).
Practice
Quiz
Where is a glottal stop produced in the vocal tract?