St ＞ s in ĕst ＞ ęs. Cf. § [28], 5.
SPORADIC CHANGE.
84. For certain consonant changes no laws have been established.[81] Some of them doubtless originate in the language of children, which is governed by principles different from those which regulate the speech of adults. Others are due to vague associations of sound or sense. Borrowed and learned words are especially exposed to such whimsical alteration.
Insertion.
85. The insertion (or addition) of a consonant, in such cases as those mentioned below, is probably always due to some false association or wrong etymology, but the specific cause often cannot be ascertained; the added consonant seems to be generally a liquid or a nasal:—
alhọndre -s ＜ aliŭnde: V. L. ✱aliŭnder?
consi = cossi ＜ eccu’ sīc: analogy of the prefix co- con-. Cf. § [76], (1), nf, ns.
enclutge ＜ incūdĭnem: cf. French enclume.
engal = egal ＜ æquālem: analogy of the prefix e- en-. Cf. § [76], (1), nf, ns.
invęrn = ivern ＜ hibĕrnum: hi- mistaken for the prefix in-; cf. Italian inverno, etc.