The term “ephe- nesis” means the fact that a word in the word “inner” is supplemented by an additional language, thus facilitating pronunciation of the word. The epenthesis is also referred to as sound input as well as sound input. For example, the letter n in the adjective African is an epenthesis, since otherwise two vowels would meet each other (cf. Hiatus). The epenthesis thus serves the purpose of avoiding the hiatus, and facilitates the pronunciation of the word. Moreover, the epenthesis can be interpreted as stylistic means when the addition of a sound or a syllable occurs in the inner sense of the word for poetic or metrical reasons such as Mavors for Mars in Vergil’s work Aen (8, 700).
The term comes from the Greek noun epenthesis (επένθεσις), which can be translated with insertion. According to this, the translation of the word already points to the fundamental question: namely, the insertion of a sound into the interior of a word. This is usually done in order to simplify the pronunciation of the respective word or for stylistic reasons. Some examples:
The adjectives both imploringly and deliberately bear an insertion in themselves: the consonant t. Typically, suffixes are attached to nouns or verbs when they are used as an adjective or adverb. For example, the adjective becomes uniform in this way from the noun unit. However, the combination of Willen + -lich makes it difficult to speak of this combination, which is why a language is inserted to facilitate the debate. This creates the word willfully. The same principle also applies to the adjective.
Spoken ephemeres
However, such a lute insertion can occur only in the spoken language and can not be noticed in the written word, that is, in relation to the spelling. Such ephemeres sometimes make the pronunciation of a word possible.
In German three inscriptions are typical, which are not taken into account in the orthography of the respective word. These are the sounds [p], [t] and [k]. For example, the noun office is spelled in the phonetic alphabet [amt]. In practice, however, [ampt] is spoken.
Insertion word (examples) Is mostly realized as … (epenthesis)
[p] Office [amt] [ampt]
[p] shirt [hɛmt] [hɛmpt]
[colloquial] [colloquial]
[k] catch [fɛŋst] [catch]
[t] rennst [ʀɛnst] [ʀɛntst]
[t] Gans [ɡans] [ɡants]
Short overview: The most important overview
As an epenthesis, as well as sound input as well as sound input, a loud insertion in the word inner is designated, which facilitates the pronunciation or for stylistic reasons. Very often, such an insertion of the hiatus-avoidance is used, and thus often lies between two vowels or diphthongs.
Such ephemeres are either orthographically or phonetically performed or are heard exclusively. This means that even if the orthography of the respective word remains unchanged, a lute insertion can take place in the spoken language.
Note: Due to the differences between written and spoken language, the epenthesis is often responsible for spelling mistakes. Typically, there is an error in the word, by the way. The pronunciation [yːbrigəns] is often spoken of [yːbrigənts], which is why mistakes are sometimes made (→ frequent spelling mistakes).
