], ▁so ▁/ ə / ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁basic ▁form ▁of ▁both ▁v ow els . ▁When ▁or ally ▁modified , ▁the ▁nucle us ▁of ▁/ e / ▁var ies ▁between ▁[ ɛ ] ▁and ▁[ æ ], ▁the ▁nucle us ▁of ▁/ a / ▁between ▁[ a ] ▁and ▁[ ɔ ]. ▁ ▁All ▁v ow els , ▁regardless ▁of ▁their ▁or al ▁modification , ▁are ▁nas al ized ▁following ▁/ n /, ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁/ e / ▁which ▁is ▁never ▁nas al ized . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁written ▁E y ak , ▁length ▁is ▁denoted ▁by ▁double ▁letters ▁and ▁gl ott al ization ▁by ▁’ , ▁as ▁in ▁chi : sh g ▁" s and " ▁or ▁q i ’ GA ’ e ’ d ▁" bed ". ▁ ▁Pro s ody ▁All ▁sy ll ables ▁begin ▁with ▁an ▁on set , ▁so ▁that ▁no ▁two ▁v ow els ▁may ▁occur ▁consec ut ively . ▁Sy ll ables ▁can ▁be ▁counted ▁exactly ▁by ▁number ▁of ▁v ow els . ▁ ▁E y ak ▁is ▁not ▁t onal , ▁unlike ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁Ath ab as can ▁languages ▁to ▁which ▁it ▁is ▁related ; ▁nor ▁does ▁it ▁have ▁distinct ive ▁pitch . ▁St ems ▁are ▁heavy ▁sy ll ables , ▁whereas ▁aff ix es ▁tend ▁to ▁be ▁light . ▁Str ess ▁usually ▁falls ▁on ▁st ems ▁and ▁heavy ▁sy ll ables . ▁In ▁sequences ▁of ▁heavy ▁sy ll ables , ▁the ▁stress ▁falls ▁on ▁the ▁pen ult imate ▁sy ll able