epentézis

Epenthesis is a linguistic phenomenon where a sound is inserted into a word. This inserted sound, known as an epenthetic sound, is typically a vowel or a consonant. It can occur within a word, at the beginning, or at the end, though internal epenthesis is the most common.

The primary function of epenthesis is often to facilitate pronunciation. It can break up difficult consonant clusters, making a word easier to say and understand. For example, in some dialects of English, the word "film" might be pronounced "film-uh," with an inserted vowel sound. Similarly, "athlete" can sometimes be pronounced with an extra syllable, like "ath-uh-leet." This insertion can also occur to avoid awkward or forbidden sound sequences within a language's phonology.

Epenthesis can be a natural development within a language over time, or it can occur as a temporary measure when speakers of different languages interact, particularly in language acquisition or creolization. It is a common feature found across many languages worldwide, though the specific sounds inserted and the contexts in which they appear vary greatly. Analyzing epenthetic sounds provides insights into the phonological rules and ease of articulation preferences of a language.