Does historical have a long or short vowel sound?

The word "historical" has a short vowel sound in the first syllable.

Here's why:

* The "i" in "historical" is followed by a consonant ("s"). This is a common pattern for short vowel sounds in English.

* The pronunciation of "historical" is "his-TOR-i-cal," with the "i" in the first syllable sounding like the "i" in "hit" or "pin."

So, while "historical" is a long word, the first vowel sound is short.