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Returning to the example of Ben More: anglicisation of Mhòr to More loses the indication that the word for mountain is feminine. Gender is reflected by the lenition of the following adjective mòr, to mhòr, which is why The Big Mountain is A’ Bheinn Mhòr. When feminine nouns beginning with a B, C, F, G, M, or P are lenited, H becomes the second letter, which gives a’ chroit (uh crotch) - the croft, an fhang (un ang) - the sheepfank, a’ ghlumag (uh GHLOOmak) - the puddle, a’ mhòine (uh VAWNyuh) - the peat moor, and a’ phàirc (uh ferk) - the enclosed field. In contrast, an dail (un DAAil) - the haugh, an leac (un lehchd) - the flagstone, an nathair (un NAH-hair) - the snake, an rèilig (un RAYlik) - the grave and an tìr (un cheer) - the land, though they are feminine, have no visible letter H when lenited. But lenition is heard in these examples as a slenderisation of the initial consonant. As in other languages, the grave accent in modern Gaelic results in a lengthening of the vowel. Stress, almost without exception, is always on the first syllable, whether accented or not.

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