W. M. Lindsay, An Introduction to Latin Textual Emendation

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Substitution through insertion or omission of syllable

Very commonly the substituted word differs from the genuine word in the insertion of a syllable. Thus infamia becomes in familia (e.g. in MSS. of Livy xlv. 38. 10), consido becomes considero. We must excuse such mistakes when we consider that a mediaeval scribe was in the habit of finding in his originals contractions like aia for anima, and syllables like er, us etc. expressed by shorthand signs (see ch. vii. § 1) which were often very faint and hardly discernible. The opposite error, of omitting a syllable, by which, for example, periratus has become piratus in Truc. 656, has been already mentioned in ch. iii. § 10.

Diminutives, it should be noticed, are often confused with the simple word; e.g. servolus becomes servus (Asin. Arg. 4), primulo becomes primo (Cas. 40), saccum becomes sacculum (Capt. 90). Similarly frequentatives with simple verbs, e.g. clamito and clamo (cf. Most. 6); and 2nd singular with 2nd plural imperative, e.g. intercludite for interclude (Mil. 223; see Leo's note).