Glottális

Glottális refers to anything relating to the glottis. The glottis is the part of the larynx consisting of the vocal cords and the opening between them. It plays a crucial role in voice production, breathing, and protecting the airway. Sounds produced using the glottis are called glottal sounds.

In phonetics, glottal sounds are consonants articulated at the glottis. The most common glottal sound is the glottal stop, represented by the symbol [ʔ] in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). This sound is produced by closing the vocal cords momentarily and then releasing the airflow. Examples of glottal stops include the sound in the middle of the English word "uh-oh" and the sound that replaces the 't' in some pronunciations of "button" or "mountain." Another glottal sound is the glottal fricative [h], produced by passing air through the open glottis, creating friction. This is the sound at the beginning of words like "hat" or "house."

The glottis is also involved in involuntary actions. For instance, the glottal closure reflex is a protective mechanism that prevents foreign objects from entering the trachea. The glottis can also be involved in coughing and sneezing. Conditions affecting the glottis can lead to voice disorders, difficulty breathing, or changes in vocal quality. Understanding the anatomy and function of the glottis is therefore important in fields such as linguistics, speech pathology, and medicine.