ABSTRACT

Insertion of a sound (usually a vowel), at the beginning of a word through motivation of the given syllable structure. For example, initial /sp, st, sk/ clusters in Latin were broken up in Spanish and French by a prothetic e; cf. Lat. spiritus. stella, schola : Span. espíritu, estrella. escuela: Fr. esprit, étoile, école ‘spirit,’ ‘star,’ ‘school.’