GLOTTAL STOPS IN NEW-ZEALAND ENGLISH - AN ANALYSIS OF VARIANTS OF WORD-FINAL-T

Glottalization of word-final /t/ is a feature of British English that appears to be spreading to New Zealand. This paper examines the extent to which glottal realizations of (-t) are evident in a sample of New Zealand English and provides some information on the social and stylistic distribution of this variant, as well as on the linguistic conditions that favor its occurrence. In particular, the role of women in relation to this sound change is discussed. Information is also provided on the distribution of [t(h)], a more conservative variant, which tends to characterize more formal, careful speech styles. The New Zealand data provides some insights into the process by which a sound change moves from vernacular to standard or prestige status, and the role of women in this process.