svarabhakti

[ sfahr-ah-bahk-tee; Sanskrit svuh-ruh-buhk-ti ]

/ ˌsfɑr ɑˈbɑk ti; Sanskrit svə rəˈbʌk tɪ /

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noun Linguistics.

the process of inserting vowel sounds into a consonant cluster, as in a loanword to make it conform to the pattern of the speaker's language and, hence, more easily pronounceable, as in the Italian pronunciation

[lahn-tsee-ke-nek-kaw] /ˌlɑn tsi kɛˈnɛk kɔ/ for German Landsknecht

[lahnts-knekht]. /ˈlɑntsˌknɛxt/.

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Origin of svarabhakti

1875–80; <Sanskrit: vowel segment (inserted in particular environments)

Words nearby svarabhakti

Suzhou, Suzie, Sv, SV 40, Svalbard, svarabhakti, svc., Svedberg, Svedberg unit, svelte, Svengali