[s]→[ʔ]Certainty: 4/5Commonality: 2/5
Voiceless alveolar fricative to Glottal stop
The shift from the alveolar fricative [s] to a glottal stop [ʔ] is an extreme form of debuccalization. It typically represents the final stage of lenition where [s] first aspirates to [h] before losing its oral friction entirely, leaving only a glottal catch. This is a characteristic feature of certain Lowland Spanish dialects.
Phonetic Effects
Debuccalization, Glottalization, Lenition
Language Examples
esta [s]→[ˈeʔta]— In some dialects, the aspiration of syllable-final /s/ is realized as a weak glottal stop.
Related Transformations
More Romance Shifts
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