GLOTTAL STOP Meaning and
Definition
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A glottal stop is a speech sound production made by momentarily closing the vocal cords in the larynx, resulting in a brief interruption of airflow. It is a type of consonant sound that can be found in various languages and is denoted by the symbol /ʔ/ in phonetic transcription.
During a glottal stop, the vocal cords are brought together, blocking the flow of air through the glottis. This closure causes a momentary silence or pause in the speech stream before the next sound is produced. The duration of the stop may vary depending on the language and its phonetic environment.
In English, the glottal stop is commonly used in some dialects as a substitution for the /t/ sound in words like "water" or "bottle", resulting in pronunciations like "waʔer" or "boʔle". It can also occur in other positions, such as between two vowels, as in the word "uh-oh" where the glottal stop replaces the /p/ sound.
Glottal stops are also present in many other languages, such as Arabic, Tagalog, Hawaiian, and even Danish. In some cases, the glottal stop can be phonemic, meaning it can change the meaning of words. For instance, in Hawaiian, "wikiwiki" means "quick", whereas "wiʔiʔi" means "tiny".
Common Misspellings for GLOTTAL STOP
- flottal stop
- vlottal stop
- blottal stop
- hlottal stop
- ylottal stop
- tlottal stop
- gkottal stop
- gpottal stop
- goottal stop
- glittal stop
- glkttal stop
- gllttal stop
- glpttal stop
- gl0ttal stop
- gl9ttal stop
- glortal stop
- gloftal stop
- glogtal stop
- gloytal stop
Etymology of GLOTTAL STOP
The etymology of the word "glottal stop" comes from the combination of two terms: "glottal" and "stop".
"Glottal" refers to the glottis, which is the part of our vocal apparatus located at the top of the windpipe (trachea) and between the vocal cords. It plays a crucial role in phonation (the production of vocal sounds) as it can open and close to control the flow of air.
"Stop" is a linguistic term that refers to a consonant sound produced by briefly closing off the airflow through the vocal tract. In the case of a glottal stop, the airflow is interrupted by closing the glottis momentarily.
Therefore, the term "glottal stop" describes a speech sound produced by momentarily closing the glottis to create a pause in the airflow.
Similar spelling words for GLOTTAL STOP
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