[∅]→[ʃ]Certainty: 3/5Commonality: 2/5
Empty sound / Zero to Voiceless postalveolar fricative
Insertion of [ʃ] from zero most often arises through s-retraction in consonant clusters (where /s/ retracts to [ʃ] before certain clusters) or as a secondary consequence of palatalization. True ʃ-epenthesis (insertion with no underlying source) is rare; most documented cases involve a shift of an existing /s/.
Phonetic Effects
Epenthesis, S-Retraction, Palatalization
Language Examples
street [str]→[ʃtr]— S-retraction: /s/ in /str/ clusters retracts to [ʃ] — strictly s→sh but perceived as insertion by listeners; well-documented in AAVE and some urban dialects.
OHG scouwon [sk]→schauen [ʃ]— OHG initial /sk/ → MHG/ModG /ʃ/ (again s→sh, not ∅→sh; included for completeness as a cluster-initial ʃ development).
Related Transformations
More Germanic Shifts
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