SYLLABLES
7
| Consonants | Latin Examples |
|---|---|
| v is like w in wine never as in vine | vī'-nǔm, vǐr |
| x has the value of two consonants (cs or gs) and is like x in extract, not as in exact | ěx'-trā, ěx-āc'-tǔs |
| bs is like ps and bt like pt | ǔrbs, ǒb-tǐ'-ně-ō |
| ch, ph, and th are like c, p, t | pǔl'-chěr, Phoe'-bē, thě-ā'-trǔm |
- a. In combinations of consonants give each its distinct sound. Doubled consonants should be pronounced with a slight pause between the two sounds. Thus pronounce tt as in rat-trap, not as in rattle; pp as in hop-pole, not as in upper. Examples, mǐt'-tō, Ǎp'pǐ-ǔs, běl-lǔm.
SYLLABLES
8. A Latin word has as many syllables as it has vowels and diphthongs. Thus aes-tā'-tě has three syllables, au-dǐ-ěn'-dǔs has four.
- a. Two vowels with a consonant between them never make one syllable, as is so often the case in English. Compare English inside with Latin īn-sī'-dě.
9. Words are divided into syllables as follows:
- 1. A single consonant between two vowels goes with the second. Thus ǎ-mā'-bǐ-lǐs, mě-mǒ'-rǐ-ǎ, ǐn-tě'-rě-ā, ǎ'-běst, pě-rē'-gǐt. [1]
- 2. Combinations of two or more consonants:
- a. A consonant followed by ll or r goes with the l or r. Thus pū'-blǐ-cǔs, ǎ'-grī.
- Exception. Prepositional compounds of this nature, as also ll and rr, follow rule b. Thus ǎb'-lǔ-ō, ǎb-rǔm'-pō, ǐl-lě, fěr'-rǔm.
- b. In all other combinations of consonants the first consonant goes with the preceding vowel.[2] Thus mǎg'-nǔs, ě-gěs'-tās, vǐc-tō'-rǐ-ǎ, hǒs'-pěs, ǎn'-nǔs, sǔ-bāc'-tǔs.
- 3. The last syllable of a word is called the ul'-ti-ma; the one next to the last, the pe-nult; the one before the penult, the an'-te-pe-nult'.
