A vowel followed by two or more consonants is almost invariably short.
If a vowel is followed by one consonant in an accented syllable it will
probably receive the accent and be long. If the word has two syllables,
as in _Kinah,_ but if the word has three syllables the consonant will
probably receive the accent and the vowel will be short, as in _Jo`n'adab_.
In words of three or more syllables the vowels are naturally short
unless made long by position or the like; but the vowel in the syllable
before the one which receives the accent, if it is the first syllable
of the word and followed by but one consonant, is likely to be long,
because the consonant which would otherwise end the syllable is drawn
over to the accented syllable, as in _di:-men'-sion_. This rule is
still more in force if no consonant intervenes, as _i_ in _di:-am'-e-ter_.
If the vowel is followed by two consonants which naturally unite, as in
_di:-gress,_ it is also long. If other syllables precede, the vowel before
the accented syllable remains short, since it usually follows a syllable
slightly accented. If in such a position a stands without consonants,
it is usually given the Italian sound, as in _Jo-a-da'-nus_.
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