On glottal stops in Yucatan Spanish

This article examines the impact of linguistic and extra-linguistic factors on the production of glottalization (/ʔ/ and creaky voice) in Yucatan Spanish. The results of this study suggest that glottal insertion before vowel-initial words in Yucatan Spanish is the product of language contact mediated by internal development. It also indicates that glottal insertion, like other traditional features of Yucatan Spanish, is undergoing a process of standardization, whereby younger, more educated speakers employ a less traditional, more ‘standard’ variety of Spanish.

• Affiliations: 1: North Carolina State University