172. Certain consonant groups, notably those containing a liquid, are
sometimes eased by the insertion of a vowel which develops between the
consonants. This is called _Anaptyxis_ (Greek ἀναπτύσσειν, _unfold_). It
is the opposite of syncope of vowels (110, 111).
(1.) The suffix #-clo-# (242), changed to #-culo-#, being thus no longer
distinguishable from the diminutive suffix #-culo-# (267): as,
#pōculum#, _cup_, for #pōclum# (Plaut.); #vehiculum#, _carriage_, for
#vehiclum# (Plaut.). But #-clo-# is more common in Plautus than
#-culo-#, especially after long vowels. The suffixes #-blo-# (245), and
#-bli-# (294) always show the anaptyctical vowel. Its colour depends on
the nature of the #l# (60): as, #stabulum#, _resting-place_; #stabilis#,
_steady_. The group #-ngl-# also changes to #-ngul-#: as, #angulus#
(164, 6).
(2.) In words borrowed from the Greek an unfamiliar sequence of
consonants was so lightened; as, #mina#, _mina_, for #*mna# (μνᾶ); and
in Old Latin #drachuma# (Plaut.) for later #drachma#, _drachma_
(δραχμή); #techina#, _trick_, from Greek τέχνη; #Tecumēssa# for
#Tecmēssa# (Τέκμησσα).
(3.) Before syllabic (83) #l# and #r# a vowel is developed (111, _b_):
as, #íncertus#, _uncertain_, for #*íncr̥tus#; #fácultās#, _capability_,
for #fácl̥tās#. Likewise before syllabic #n# (139).