The process of adding vowels to consonant sequences to form pronounceable syllables is called?

• A. Ephenthesis
• B. Epenthesis
• C. Infixation
• D. Anaptyxis

Answer: (A)

Inserting a vowel to break up a consonant sequence so the syllables become pronounceable is epenthesis. This phonological process smooths difficult clusters or adapts loanwords by adding a vowel between consonants, making the word easier to say. The standard term is epenthesis, spelled e-p-e-n-t-h-e-s-i-s. An alternate spelling ephenthesis is not correct. Infixation refers to adding material inside a word as a morpheme, which is a different kind of change, while anaptyxis is a more specific case of vowel insertion to resolve hiatus or particular phonotactic constraints. So the best match for the described process is epenthesis.