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.

The earliest mentions of the process are in Scotland during the 19th century, when Henry Sweet commented on the phenomenon. David Crystal claims that the sound can be heard in RP speakers from the early 20th century such as Daniel Jones, Bertrand Russell and Ellen Terry.^[1] The Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary claims that t-glottalisation is now most common in London, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow.^[2]

In RP, /t/ may be fully replaced by a glottal stop, especially before a syllabic nasal^[3][4]:

• not now – [nɒʔ naʊ]
• department – [dəpɑːʔmɪnt]
• button – [bɐʔn̩]

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 – [lɛts stɑːʔ], [lɛs stɑːʔ] or [lɛʔs stɑːʔ]
• what – [wɔʔ]
• but – [bʌʔ]
• get – [ɡɛʔ]
• foot – [fʊʔ]

In many dialects of British 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]
• beater – [biʔə]
• biter – [baɪʔə]
• bitter – [bɪʔə]
• butter – [bʌʔə]
• betting – [bɛʔɪŋ]
• 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.

It also tends to be somewhat common in the United States though heavier in the western state of Colorado. Furthermore, in almost all non-Southern-speaking states, there is somewhat of a parallel process, but nonetheless distinct. The T in coda position is changed to something somewhat similar to the glottal, but the tip of the tongue hits the roof of the mouth, but doesn't flap (there is no designated IPA symbol for this). In words were the t is not the first sound in the word and is followed by a short vowel, it may instead become an alvelear tap r (for example, the intervocal t in butter or neater). The coda t sound is distinct from this as no flap occurs, and the tongue hitting the top of the mouth is combined with the glottal stop (for example, see non-Southern American pronunciation of hit, cat, etc). True glottalization occurs in American English only in the case of intervocalic t(s) followed by a reduced vowel and an n (for example, American pronunciation of button, mitten, glutton, etc.). There are still notable exceptions to this rule as well- proper nouns seem to be exempt (Occitan is pronounced as if it was Occidan, with an alvelear flap, in American English; meanwhile, Canton is still pronounced with a true t, despite it being followed by a reduced vowel and an n).

Recent studies (Milroy, Milroy &Walshaw 1994, Fabricius 2000) have suggested that t-glottalization is increasing in RP speech. Prince Harry frequently glottals his Ts^[5]; the Royal Family are traditionally considered to speak RP in his highest form.^{[citation needed]} 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)

References

See also

• Glottalization
• Regional accents of English speakers