Hard Glottal Attacks

The habit of building up pressure below the vocal cords and releasing the air abruptly on words that begin with vowels is called hard glottal attacks. Say "I" sharply and forcefully and then say "I" with a silent "h" in front of the "I." Do you hear the difference between these two sounds? When the vocal cords are chronically brought together forcibly, the result is hoarseness. If you experience hoarseness, it may be related to the way in which you say these words.  Ease into the following words gently to practice easy phonation:

1. (h)I
2. (h)OK
3. (h)extra
4. (h)ordinary

Here is an example of a sentence where you hear the difference between the presence of hard attacks versus gentle onset.

“Angel ate every eggroll.”