Forgetting the apex, modern Latin spelling has recently started marking long vowels by using the macron.

The diaeresis (Dutch: trema) is used to mark vowels that are pronounced separately.

It also marks vowels which in print are formed by rotating the letter.

The primary diacritic was the apex used to mark long vowels, which had previously been written double.

Notice that this article mostly follows , with the exception of marking short vowels short.

An underline (', ', , ) is used to mark long vowels.

However, the only orthographic system used to mark vowels is the Tiberian vocalization.

Most of these scripts also have optional diacritics that can be used to mark short vowels when needed.

This corresponds to a more phonetic translation while still making use of macrons to mark long vowels.

An early precursor of the acute accent was the apex, used in Latin inscriptions to mark long vowels.