Synizesis


Synizesis is a sound change in which two originally syllabic vowels are pronounced as a single syllable without change in writing. In Latin and Greek, the reason was often to preserve meter, but similar changes can occur naturally.
A tie may be used to represent this pronunciation: dē͡hinc.

Examples

Greek

:
μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδε͡ω Ἀχιλῆος
Mênin áeide theā̀ Pēlēïáde͡ō Akhilêos
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Latin

Vergil's Aeneid:
1.41ūnĭus ob noxam et furiās Aiācis Oīlē͡ī?
1.131Eurum ad sē Zephyrumque vocat, dē͡hinc tālia fātur
6.412dēturbat laxatque forōs; simul accipit alve͡ō

Etymology

Synizesis comes from the Greek "a sitting together" from "with" and "I sit".