Á This letter has two potential sounds. Both are always stressed. 1. /ɑ/ as in father and water: father -> fáþor /ˈfɑðər/ water -> ɯátre /ˈwɑɾər/ 2. /ɑr/ as in barn, farm, alarm. á represents /ɑr/ only before the letters m and n. E.g. barn -> bán /bɑrn/ farm -> fám /fɑrm/ alarm -> alám /əˈlɑrm/ harm -> hám /hɑrm/ parmesan -> pámesian /ˈpɑrməˌʒɑn/