What Goes Around: Language Change and Glottalization in Vermont

Abstract

Glottalization in English has a rich history of research, most of it focusing on the origin, social characteristics, and change in the feature over time. Glottalization has been shown to be a robust variable, its form influenced by phontetic, social, and regional factors. The current study also explores these issues but with the advantage of two samples of speech: one from the 1930s comprising 17 speakers, and one from the 1990s, comprising 53 (31 females and 22 males). Most of the 1930s group, which represented all available speakers, were over 50; the 1990s sample ranged in age from childhood through old age, with the majority being 16 through 40. This time depth allows us to see the possible origin of this feature in an isolated rural area and its change over time as the regional demographics change. We present arguments that the phonetic and social factors surrounding glottalization interacted to produce a new form (glottal replacement) with newly evolving social meanings.

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