"I think it is the same in English, but I once had a discussion with native
speakers of English, and although they used it [the initial gmlottal stop]
in their refutal, they asserted they was no glottal stop at the initial of
art, ease, own, out, urge etc." Jean-Paul G. POTET, FRANCE
"It can be used in English, but it's used for adding special emphasis to a
stressed syllable beginning with a vowel. It isn't just a customary
onset-filler in English, as opposed to German or Arabic." Piotr GASIOROWSKI,
POLAND
No doubt emphasis plays its part, but, to me, English has the initial
glottal stop whenever there is no liaison.
The liaison rule operates for utterances like <an ear>, constituted of a
single iambic foot : [°@ "nI@], but it does not in the case of <one ear>,
<two ears>,
In utterances like <one ear>, <two ears>, that are constituted of two
trochaic feet each, isn't the glottal stop compulsory : ["°wAn '°?I@],
["°thu '°?I@z]?
Of course I leave aside "donkeys' years". :-)
Jean-Paul G. POTET, FRANCE