epentezis

Epentezis is a linguistic phenomenon that involves the insertion of a sound or syllable into a word. This insertion can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of a word. For instance, the word "film" is sometimes pronounced "film-uh" in certain dialects, with the addition of the final syllable. Similarly, "athletics" might be pronounced "ath-uh-leet-ics," demonstrating epenthetic insertion. This process is not a sign of incorrect speech but rather a natural evolution or adaptation of language, often occurring unconsciously to aid pronunciation or to fill perceived phonetic gaps.

The reasons for epentezis are varied. It can arise to make consonant clusters easier to pronounce, as in the example of "film-uh," where the added vowel separates two difficult-to-articulate consonants. It can also occur to distinguish between similar-sounding words or to regularize grammatical endings. In some cases, epentezis is a feature of specific regional dialects or idiolects. While it might sometimes be perceived as an error by speakers of other dialects or by those who adhere to a standardized pronunciation, it is a well-documented aspect of linguistic variation. The study of epentezis falls under the purview of phonetics and phonology, disciplines that examine the sound systems of languages.