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 . 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 . 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.