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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why do so many people say “ex-specially”?

I want someone to do a PSA or YouTube tutorial coaching people on how to break it down and say it correctly.

Eh-specially.

No X.

I wish this didn’t bother me as much as it does. [/quote]

It's the same reason people say expresso. It's called epenthesis. e + /sp/ is a spicy combo that's not very common in English, so speakers will shift to /ksp/ "ex" because it's easier to say and more familiar. English is full of these...feb-yoo-ary because "br" is a more challenging cluster. We learn words by ear first and sometimes those motor patterns become automatic long before spelling enters the picture.[/quote]

I have a Master’s in Applied Linguistics, but this AI explanation (via Google search) covers it pretty well.

Especially" is frequently mispronounced as "ex-specially" (adding an 'x' sound) due to the high frequency of words starting with /ɛksp/ (like express or expect) in the English lexicon. The correct spelling and pronunciation start with "es-" (/ɪˈspɛʃəli/), not "ex-". 
Key Points
The Error: Many people say "ex-specially" instead of the correct "especially".
Why It Happens: The English language contains hundreds of words starting with ex- (e.g., extra, except), influencing speakers to mistakenly apply this pattern to the /ɛsp/ sound in especially.
Correct Usage: Especially means "particularly" or "above all," used to single out one person or thing.
Related Errors: Similar mispronunciations occur with "espresso" (pronounced "ex-presso"). [/quote]

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