If the word has only one back vowel sound that occurs in the ultimate position, o is used. Examples: , , , , , , , . Exceptions: If the word has more than two back vowels, u is used in the second or third to the last syllable and o is used in the final syllable. Examples: , , , , , , , , O in borrowed words is retained in writing. Example: , , The use of front vowels "i" and "e": All Minasbaté words with an "i" sound will be written as i. Examples: , , , , , , , e in borrowed words will be retained in writing. Examples: , , , , , , ; i will be used to represent the front vowel ("i") that is added in the original form of borrowed words. Examples: for , for sponsor, for smuggle The hyphen will be used in the following instances: Reduplication of full words, e.g. 'toy', 'little house', 'improvised stove' Compound words, e.g. 'conjunctivitis', 'very easy', 'indecisive' Affixation of borrowed words that are proper names, e.g. Time expressions, e.g. , , The hyphen will be used in the following instances: Partial reduplication of the word, e.g. , not ; , not Affixation of native root words, e.g. , not ; , not Affixation of borrowed verbs and nouns, e.g. , not ; , not Linkers, , not . In writing borrowed words, the equivalent sounds in the native Minasbaté will be used to represent the borrowed sounds. The following symbols are used to represent the borrowed sounds: 8. Consonant clusters exist in both native and borrowed words in Minasbaté. In representing the off-glides or the sequence of u and w, and i and y, the vowels are dropped and the w and y are used, e.g. instead of , instead of , instead of . 9. The apostrophe symbol ( ' ) is used in contracted words. The particles and are often contracted to the immediately preceding word if it ends in either a glottal or vowel sound. The unstressed vowel can also be deleted in fast speech. Examples: Phonology Masbatenyo has 19 segmental phonemes: 16 consonant sounds and three vowel sounds . has the mid front unrounded, lax vowel (written orthographically as e) as its variant; has the mid back rounded lax (written orthographically as o) as its variant. The sound