diff --git a/greek_accentuation/accentuation.py b/greek_accentuation/accentuation.py
index beebf72..d0302c5 100644
--- a/greek_accentuation/accentuation.py
+++ b/greek_accentuation/accentuation.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import enum
 
-from .characters import add_diacritic
+from .characters import add_diacritic, base
 from .characters import Accent, Length, Breathing
 from .syllabify import onset_nucleus_coda, syllabify, syllable_length
 from .syllabify import syllable_accent, ultima, penult, antepenult
+from .syllabify import debreath, rebreath
 
 
 class Accentuation(enum.Enum):
@@ -32,18 +33,14 @@ def __ne__(self, other):
         return not self.__eq__(other)
 
     def __lt__(self, other):
-        other_value = (
-            other.raw_value if isinstance(other, Accentuation) else other
-        )
+        other_value = other.raw_value if isinstance(other, Accentuation) else other
         return self.raw_value < other_value
 
     def __le__(self, other):
         return self.__lt__(other) or self.__eq__(other)
 
     def __gt__(self, other):
-        other_value = (
-            other.raw_value if isinstance(other, Accentuation) else other
-        )
+        other_value = other.raw_value if isinstance(other, Accentuation) else other
         return self.raw_value > other_value
 
     def __ge__(self, other):
@@ -60,10 +57,22 @@ def syllable_add_accent(s, a):
 
 def add_accentuation(s, accentuation):
     pos, accent = accentuation.value
-    final = s[1 - pos:] if pos > 1 else [""]
+    final = s[1 - pos :] if pos > 1 else [""]
     return "".join(s[:-pos] + [syllable_add_accent(s[-pos], accent)] + final)
 
 
+def strip_accentuation(word):
+    "strip accentuation of a given word conserving breathing"
+    deword = debreath(word)
+    no_accent_word = "".join([base(a) for a in word])
+    return rebreath(no_accent_word)
+
+
+def strip_word(word):
+    "strip both accentuation and breathing"
+    return "".join([base(a) for a in word])
+
+
 def display_accentuation(accentuation):
     return accentuation.name.lower()
 
@@ -116,9 +125,7 @@ def get_accentuation(w):
             return Accentuation.PROPAROXYTONE
 
 
-def possible_accentuations(
-    s, treat_final_AI_OI_short=True, default_short=False
-):
+def possible_accentuations(s, treat_final_AI_OI_short=True, default_short=False):
     ultima_length = syllable_length(s[-1], treat_final_AI_OI_short)
     penult_length = syllable_length(s[-2], False) if len(s) >= 2 else None
     if ultima_length == Length.UNKNOWN and default_short:
@@ -131,16 +138,17 @@ def possible_accentuations(
     if not (ultima_length == Length.SHORT):
         yield Accentuation.PERISPOMENON
 
-    if (len(s) >= 2 and not
-            (penult_length == Length.LONG and ultima_length == Length.SHORT)):
+    if len(s) >= 2 and not (
+        penult_length == Length.LONG and ultima_length == Length.SHORT
+    ):
         yield Accentuation.PAROXYTONE
 
-    if (len(s) >= 2 and not
-            (penult_length == Length.SHORT or ultima_length == Length.LONG)):
+    if len(s) >= 2 and not (
+        penult_length == Length.SHORT or ultima_length == Length.LONG
+    ):
         yield Accentuation.PROPERISPOMENON
 
-    if (len(s) >= 3 and not
-            (ultima_length == Length.LONG)):
+    if len(s) >= 3 and not (ultima_length == Length.LONG):
         yield Accentuation.PROPAROXYTONE
 
 
@@ -155,8 +163,8 @@ def recessive(w, treat_final_AI_OI_short=True, default_short=False):
         s,
         sorted(
             possible_accentuations(s, treat_final_AI_OI_short, default_short),
-            reverse=True
-        )[0]
+            reverse=True,
+        )[0],
     )
 
 
@@ -167,9 +175,7 @@ def on_penult(w, default_short=False):
         pre = ""
 
     s = syllabify(w)
-    accentuations = list(
-        possible_accentuations(s, default_short=default_short)
-    )
+    accentuations = list(possible_accentuations(s, default_short=default_short))
     if Accentuation.PROPERISPOMENON in accentuations:
         return pre + add_accentuation(s, Accentuation.PROPERISPOMENON)
     elif Accentuation.PAROXYTONE in accentuations:
@@ -187,17 +193,13 @@ def persistent(w, lemma, default_short=False):
 
     place, accent = accentuation.value
     s = syllabify(w)
-    possible = [
-        p.value for p in possible_accentuations(s, default_short=default_short)
-    ]
+    possible = [p.value for p in possible_accentuations(s, default_short=default_short)]
     place2 = len(s) - len(syllabify(lemma)) + place
     accent_pair = (place2, accent)
     if accent_pair not in possible:
         if accent == Accent.ACUTE and (place2, Accent.CIRCUMFLEX) in possible:
             accent_pair = (place2, Accent.CIRCUMFLEX)
-        elif (
-            accent == Accent.CIRCUMFLEX and (place2, Accent.ACUTE) in possible
-        ):
+        elif accent == Accent.CIRCUMFLEX and (place2, Accent.ACUTE) in possible:
             accent_pair = (place2, Accent.ACUTE)
         else:
             for i in range(1, 4):