Why You Might Be Judged By How You Say ‘Butter’ – The Truth About English "linguistic factors"

A linguistic factor:
The glottal stop sound is used in words like "water" and "butter".
It can occur in the middle or end of words but *not* at the beginning of words, as in some dialects of Arabic.

**Pronunciation Variants**:
English speakers can substitute a glottal stop for the ‘t’ sound in certain words, and the meaning remains unchanged.
Example: "butter" (with glottal stop) vs. "butter" (with ‘t’).

**Perception of the Glottal Stop**:
A glottal stop is often seen as “lazy” or “uneducated” when it occurs in the middle of words.
The same sound at the end of words (like "cat") tends to be less negatively perceived.

**Inconsistent Attitudes**:
People tend to notice glottal stops more when they appear in the middle of words, which can influence perceptions of the speaker.
The perception of the glottal stop is inconsistent and often unconscious.