q: [Someone said] "... Granted, 'resembling' is a four-syllable word ..." This site sure makes it sound like three.
CJ: Yes, you're correct. There's probably a term for inserting a syllable incorrectly into a word

OK, oh wise women and men of wordcraft. What is that term?


PS: I've said that that question "niggles my mind." Is it proper to use niggle as a transitive verb rather than as an intransitive one?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wordnerd,

Epenthesis is the general term forn insertion of sounds. But in the case of tetrasyllabic 'resembling', it's not insertion but a different regularity. What most speakers have is a rule that de-syllabifies a syllabic L before -ing.

So nigg-le -> nigg-ling, re-sem-ble -> re-sem-bling. Failure to apply this rule gives the more superficially regular form re-sem-bl-ing.

> Is it proper

Do you say it? If you do it's proper for you. That's all there is to it.

Would it then be proper to call the insertion of the "u" (I don't remember the phonetic symbols anymore ) into the word nuclear -- new cue lear a epenthesis? Rather than a failure to de-syllabify?

Epenthesis is the general term forn insertion of sounds. But in the case of tetrasyllabic 'resembling', it's not insertion but a different regularity. What most speakers have is a rule that de-syllabifies a syllabic L before -ing.
Oh, aput, you are always here for us! We do appreciate your erudite posts.

We had this discussion a while ago when I posted a double dactyl with "world." I considered it 2 syllables, but the Brits and the dictionary disagreed with me.

Oh, and Jo, we also discussed "new..cue..lear." We unanimously agreed that it isn't correct, though people do say it.