T-glottalization

T-glottalization is a process that occurs for many English speakers, that causes the phoneme /t/ to be pronounced as the glottal stop [ʔ] in certain positions.

In RP, /t/ can be pronounced as a glottal stop when occurring before a consonant leading to pronunciations like:

• not now - [nɒʔ naʊ]
• department - [dəpɑ:ʔmɪnt]
• lighthouse - [laɪʔhaʊs]

Among younger RP-speakers t-glottalization can also be heard finally before vowels or in absolute final position:

• pick it up - [pɪk ɪʔ ʌp]
• Let's start [lɛʔs stɑ:ʔ]
• what - [wəʔ]
• but - [bʌʔ]
• get - [gɛʔ]
• foot - [fʊʔ]

In many dialects of English English, all intervocalic "t"'s are realized as [ʔ]. In Cockney this is generally the case. Such glottalization leads to pronunciations like the following:

• batter - [bæʔə]
• better - [bɛʔə]
• beater - [biʔə]
• biter - [baɪʔə]
• bitter - [bɪʔə]
• boater - [bəʊʔə]
• butter - [bʌʔə]
• betting - [bɛʔɪn]
• Betty - [bɛʔi]
• pity - [pɪʔi]

T-glottalization has been known to have been spreading in Southern England at a faster rate than th-fronting. Intervocalically within a word, t-glottalization remains excluded from RP, hence, RP has [sɪti] rather than the [sɪʔi] of Cockney. Nevertheless, the increased use of glottal stops within RP is believed to be an influence from Cockney and other working-class urban speech.

Recent studies (Milroy, Milroy &Walshaw 1994, Fabricius 2000) have suggested that t-glottalization is increasing in RP speech. One study carried out by Anne Fabricus suggests that t-glottalization is increasing in RP, and the reason for this being the dialect levelling of the Southeast. She has argued that a wave-like profile of t-glottalization has been going on through the regions which has begun with speakers in London, due to the influence of Cockney. She says that this development is due to the population size of the capital, as well as London's dominance of the Southeast of England. (2000: 141)

See also

• Glottalization
• Regional accents of English speakers