What is an apex in written Latin?
Q: What is an apex in written Latin?
A: An apex in written Latin is a diacritic.
Q: What does the apex look like in written Latin?
A: The apex is close to the shape of an acute accent ( ´ ).
Q: What is the purpose of the apex in written Latin?
A: The apex is used to show that a vowel is long and not short, meaning that the vowel is pronounced for a longer duration.
Q: Can the shape and length of the apex vary?
A: Yes, the shape and length of the apex can vary, and sometimes it can be different within the same writing.
Q: How is the apex usually drawn?
A: While pretty much all apices are made up of a line sloping up to the right, the line can be more or less curved, and is different in length from less than half the height of a letter to more than the height of a letter. Sometimes, it is put at the top with a hook, pointing out to the left. Rather than being centered over the vowel it changes, the apex is often drawn to the right.
Q: What did the apex develop into in some languages?
A: The apex developed into the acute accent, which is still used in some languages to mark vowel length, particularly in Czech and Slovak, Hungarian, Irish, and (a long time ago) Icelandic.
Q: How is the plural of "apex" written?
A: The plural of "apex" is "apices."
