Bella???

[Amy Z]

Jen wrote:

> > >    2.  In a three (or more) syllable word, stress the 
> > antepenultimate,
> > >    unless the penult is long, in which case you stress that.  
> The 
> > penult
> > >    is long if it contains a long vowel or a short vowel 
followed 
> > by two
> > >    or more consonants.

I wanted to know:

> > How does one know whether the vowel is long or short?

Haggridd replied:

> In Bellatrix, the vowel in the antepenult is followed by two 
> consonants, hence it is long, hence it is BELL-a-trix.

Wait, wait, the vowel in question is the A, not the E.  Surely the 
pronunciation of "bell" is "bell," regardless of whether it's the 
stressed syllable.  But the pronunciation of the penultimate 
syllable's vowel, the A, that's the question.

Amy