144. In a few cases a vowel is influenced by the vowel of a neighbouring
syllable: as,
#nisi#, _unless_, for #*nesi#; #iīs#, for #eīs#, _to them_ (671, 674);
#diī#, #diīs#, _gods_, for #deī#, #deīs# (450); #nihil#, _nothing_, for
#*nehil#; #homō#, _man_, for #*hemō# (cf. #nēmō#, from #ne-hemō#, 118);
see also 104, _d_; 105, _i_.