Glottal

Glottal is an adjective relating to the glottis, the opening between the vocal folds within the larynx, and to the structures and processes involved in voice production. The term is used across anatomy, physiology, and linguistics to describe features connected with this part of the airway and its function in speech and breathing.

Anatomically, the glottis comprises the vocal folds (vocal cords) and the rima glottidis, the space between them. It is bounded by laryngeal cartilages and muscles that control tension and position of the folds. During breathing, air passes through an open glottis; during phonation, the folds vibrate as air is expelled, shaping voiced sounds. The glottis can also assume different configurations, including a partial or complete closure, which affects voice quality and airway protection.

In phonetics, glottal describes several phenomena related to the larynx. The glottal stop, represented by the IPA symbol [ʔ], is a consonant produced by a complete closure of the glottis followed by a release. It occurs in many languages and often serves as a boundary or allophone of other consonants. Glottalization refers to partial or full closure of the glottis during the articulation of neighboring sounds, or to creaky-voiced phonation involving the vocal folds in a more tense state. Glottal fricatives include the voiceless [h] and the voiced [ɦ], produced with airflow through a partially closed glottis, creating friction.

The use of glottal terminology spans practical descriptions of speech, voice disorders, and laryngeal anatomy, where glottal configurations influence articulation, voice quality, and airway protection.