quantity of Latin vowels. This knowledge must be gained, in large measure,
by experience; but the following principles are of aid:--

1. A vowel is long,[6]--

a) before nf or ns; as, īnfāns, īnferior, cōnsūmō, cēnseō, īnsum.

b) when the result of contraction; as, nīlum for nihilum.

2. A vowel is short,--

a) before nt, nd; as, amant, amandus. A few exceptions occur in compounds
whose first member has a long vowel; as, nōndum (nōn dum).

b) before another vowel, or h; as, meus, trahō. Some exceptions occur,
chiefly in proper names derived from the Greek; as, Aenēās.

B. Quantity of Syllables.

Syllables are distinguished as _long_ or _short_ according to the length of
time required for their pronunciation.

1. A syllable is long,[7]--

a) if it contains a long vowel; as, māter, rēgnum, dīus.

b) if it contains a diphthong; as, causae, foedus.

c) if it contains a short vowel followed by x, z, or any two consonants
(except a mute with l or r); as, axis, gaza, restō.