Glottalization

/ɡlɒtəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The process of adding glottal features to a sound, making it produced with constriction or vibration in the throat.

Etymology

From 'glottal' + '-ization' (suffix showing process or change). The term emerged in 20th-century linguistics as phonologists documented how languages modify consonant sounds.

Kelly Says

Some languages are actively glottalizing their consonants right now—it's like watching language evolution happen in real time as communities gradually add throat constriction to their sounds.

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