) ▁long ▁v ow els ▁are ▁called ▁" sharp - long " ▁and ▁indicated ▁with ▁a ▁circum flex ▁( â , ▁ ê , ▁î , ▁ ô ). ▁L ength ened ▁v ow els ▁are ▁" soft - long " ▁and ▁are ▁indicated ▁with ▁a ▁mac ron ▁( ā , ▁ ē , ▁ ī , ▁ ō ). ▁ ▁L ength ened ▁v ow els ▁initially ▁remained ▁distinct ▁from ▁original ▁long ▁v ow els , ▁but ▁â ▁and ▁ ā ▁usually ▁merge ▁early , ▁and ▁ ī ▁mer ges ▁into ▁ ē . ▁Thus , ▁for ▁Middle ▁Dutch , ▁only ▁the ▁distinction ▁between ▁ ê / ô ▁and ▁ ē / ō ▁generally ▁remains . ▁▁ ▁length ens ▁to ▁ ▁or ▁ ▁( sp elled ▁, ▁ ▁or ▁), ▁but ▁this ▁does ▁not ▁result ▁in ▁any ▁new ▁ph on em ic ▁contrast s ▁until ▁later ▁on . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁all ▁str essed ▁sy ll ables ▁in ▁pol ys yll ab ic ▁words ▁become ▁heavy . ▁This ▁also ▁introdu ces ▁many ▁length ▁altern ations ▁in ▁gram mat ical ▁parad ig ms , ▁e . g . ▁singular ▁dag ▁, ▁pl ural ▁dag ( h ) e ▁. ▁ ▁Cons on ants ▁The ▁con son ants ▁of ▁Middle ▁Dutch ▁differ ed ▁little ▁from ▁those ▁of ▁Old ▁Dutch . ▁The ▁most ▁prominent ▁change ▁is ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁dent al ▁fr ic atives . ▁The ▁sound ▁ ▁was ▁also ▁ph on em ic ised ▁during ▁this ▁period , ▁jud ging ▁from ▁loan