Epenthesis

One of the most predictable contexts where epenthesis was observed was in a consonant cluster where the first consonant was a voiceless sibilant and the second consonant was a stop. Thus, stronger was pronounced [ɪstrɔ:ŋgΛr] and start was realized as [ɪstɑ:rt]. A less predictable context for epenthesis was between a voiced bilabial stop and an alveolar lateral approximant. Thus, blue was pronounced [bɪljʊ] by some of the speakers. Both these cases of epenthesis may be explained by looking at Urdu, which does not permit these consonant clusters.

Rahman (1990: 31) gives examples from speakers of PakE who speak Panjabi as a first language. Such speakers break the consonant cluster by inserting a short vowel, /ə/, between the sibilant and the stop. He gives the examples of [səpi:k] ‘speak’, [səku:l] ‘school’, [sətɑ:l] ‘stall’.

In contrast, Pushto speakers of English do not have any problems with this consonant cluster because Pushto permits these clusters (Rahman 1990: 33)