[*] 7. Every Latin word has as many syllables as it has vowels or diphthongs:— a-ci-ē , mo-nē , fī-li-us , fe-rō-ci-tā-te. [*] a. In the division of words into syllables a single consonant (including consonant i and ) between two vowels is written and pronounced with the following vowel. Doubled consonants are separated:— pa-ter , mī-li-tēs , in-iū-ri-a , dī-vi-dō; mit-tō, tol-lō .
[*] Note 1.--Some extend the rule for single consonants to any consonant group (as sp, st, gn) that can begin a word. In this book, dīx-it , sax-um, etc. are preferred to dī-xit , sa-xum; the pronunciation was probably dīc-sit, sac-sum.
[*] Note 2.--A syllable ending with a vowel or diphthong is called open: all others are called close. Thus in pa-ter the first syllable is open, the second close.
[*] b. In compounds the parts are separated:— ab-est , ob-lātus, dis-cernō, du-plex, dī-stō.