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Why does 'abso-bloody-lutely' fit better than a random insertion?

An interruption inside a word can still follow a pattern. “Abso-bloody-lutely” preserves a rhythm that a random insertion may disrupt. Linguists study this as infixation: the added material fits into the sound structure of the word. The interesting part is the pattern speakers can recognize without having been taught a formal rule.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • Where does the strongest stress fall, and how does its position help explain the insertion?

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Why does 'abso-bloody-lutely' fit better than a random insertion? | Speech Topic | speaking.app