Here's why:
* Short vowels are typically associated with a short, clipped sound. They are often followed by a consonant.
* The vowel sound in "camel" is a long "a" sound. It is pronounced as "kay-mel".
Let's compare:
* Short vowel example: "cat" (the "a" sound is short and clipped)
* Long vowel example: "came" (the "a" sound is long and drawn out)
Therefore, "camel" is not a short vowel word.