Exceptions to accent placement and length rules

Some common exceptions to the rules of accent placement are described below. 

• Also see the pages on Vowel length, Counting syllables, Non-neutral statements.

Vowels before the endings -kˀah and -sˀah are always accented and long (even when odd-numbered):

ganǫhsá:kˀah beside the house 

onǫhsatgí:sˀah an ugly house 

The first vowel of the ending -shǫ́:ˀǫh /-sǫ́:ˀǫh or -shǫ́:ˀah / -sǫ́:ˀah is always accented and long, even when odd-numbered.

gwęnihshǫ́:ˀǫh change (money) 

The vowels in some words are always accented and long, regardless of whether they are odd- or even-numbered, even if they are followed by < h > or < ˀ >.

knó:haˀ my mother 

hahé:haˀ he sets it 

The vowel < a > can sometimes be accented and lengthened even if it is odd-numbered, as long as it is followed by only one consonant; this is particularly true if < a > is the first vowel of a two-vowel word.

gá:yęˀ it is lying there 

sá:węh it is yours 

Other exceptions to lengthening

Other exceptions to lengthening are described in the pages on Vowel length and on Counting syllables.