What is epenthesis in phonological process ?

Epenthesis is a phonological process in which a sound, usually a vowel, is inserted into a word to break up a cluster of consonants or to make pronunciation easier. This can occur in both word-initial and word-final positions. Epenthesis can be a natural process in language evolution, or it can be used as a pronunciation strategy by speakers to make a word easier to say.

Epenthesis is a phonological process in which an additional sound, usually a vowel, is inserted into a word. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including to make a word easier to pronounce or to change its meaning. For example, the English word "rhythm" is pronounced with an epenthetic vowel sound between the "r" and the "h." This sound is not present in the original Greek word "rhythmos," but it was added in English to make the word easier to pronounce.

Epenthesis can also be used to change the meaning of a word. For example, the English word "dog" is pronounced with an epenthetic vowel sound between the "d" and the "g." This sound is not present in the original Proto-Germanic word "-hundaz," but it was added in English to distinguish the word from the word "dug," which is pronounced without an epenthetic vowel sound.

Epenthesis is a common phonological process in many languages around the world. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including to make words easier to pronounce, to change their meaning, or to create new words.