In Sark, the word "tenant" is used, and often pronounced, as in French in the sense of "feudal landholder" rather than the common English meaning of "lessee". The landholdings of Sark are held by 40 "tenants" representing the parcels of the 40 families who colonised Sark. As explained on the Sark government website: "There is no true freehold, all land being held on perpetual lease (fief) from the Seigneur, and the 40 properties (Tenements) into which the Island is divided (as well as a few other holdings in perpetual fief) can only pass by strict rules of inheritance or by sale." The relevance of the seigneurial privileges and duties that distinguish "feudal" from "civil" landowning has decreased as most of the duties relate to agriculture and defence.