Phonetic Variability in the Realization of Glottalized Stops in Uspanteko (Mayan)

Glottalized b’ q’ often vary between ejective and implosive realizations in Mayan languages. Some of this variation has been attributed to phonetic differences between languages or dialects, but most descriptions are compatible with the alternative view that individual speakers of the same language/dialect differ in their inclinations to produce these sounds as ejective or implosive. We investigate the phonetic realization of b’ q’ in Uspanteko, a Guatemalan Mayan language. We find that labial b’ is produced as an implosive more often than uvular q’; that wordfinal position favors ejective realizations; and that speakers of the same dialect differ in their tendencies to produce b’ q’ as implosive vs. ejective.