Page:Aids to the Pronunciation of Irish - Christian Brothers.djvu/60

 53. The vowels in the syllable immediately preceding the accented syllable are shortened, and in many cases are almost entirely lost.

54. There are some short words which are never stressed in ordinary conversation or reading; such as—(1) the definite article ; (2) the possessive adjectives ; (3) the modern relative particle, as also the particles and  used before some of the irregular verbs; (4) all particles such as, &c., &c, used with verbs; (5) monosyllabic prepositions, &c.

These words are sometimes spoken of as proclitics, because they throw their accent on to the following noun or verb.

For example: is pronounced as one word—viz.,, with the accent on the second syllable;  as one word of three syllables, with the tonic accent on the third syllable.