6. Table of Symbols.1-In the following table, the examples are in ordinary orthography, the heavy type indicates the sounds which correspond to the symbols, and the phonetic transcription is given within brackets: 7. Simple Vowels. In pronouncing the vowel sounds, remember that they are all real vowels and never diphthongal, as often happens in English. The English word note, for example, really contains not a simple long o, but a diphthong, e.g. not. In French, however, vowels are pronounced pure, never as diphthongs. It must be here stated emphatically that in English there are few letters or sounds which exactly resemble corresponding French sounds or letters. Thus the English equivalents given below are only approximate, and are cited merely to afford practical assistance to the beginner. 1 These symbols are those used in the admirable works on phonetics of Passy. VALUE APPROXIMATE EQUIVALENTS a closed [a] Halfway between the a in father and the a in cat. Ex.: ta, ta, patrie, patri, la, la. a open [a] Like a in father. Ex.: fable, fa:bl, pâte, pa:t, théâtre, tea:tr. e short [], usually called mute e (although it is not always silent). Like e in mother, lips rounded. Ex.: le, la, menu, manu, petit, pati, fable, fa:bl, flamme, fla:m, parlent, parl(ə). Note that final -e, -es, -ent (3d plural) are silent. e closed (é) [e] Has no equivalent in English. The nearest to it would be the initial sound of a in gate. Ex.: parler, parle, parlé, parle, été, ete, pré, pre. e open (è) [e] Like a in glare. Ex.: père, pe:r, cher, fe:r, hiver, ive:r, succès, sykse, très, tre, fer, fe:r, mer, me:r, tête, te:t. The sound of ê is generally longer than the sound of è. i [i] Almost like ee in green. Ex.: nid, ni, fit, fi, granit, grani, île, i(:), martyre, marti:r, symétrique, simetrik. o open [] Almost like o in galore. Ex.: promesse, prɔmes, mode, mɔ(:)d, robe, rɔ(:)b. o close [o] Almost like o in clothes. Take care not to pronounce as a diphthong. Ex.: rôle, ro:l, rose, ro:z, piano, pjano, hôtel, o.tel. ul [y] No corresponding sound in English. Like German ü in bücher. Ex.: début, deby, brute, bryt, flûte, flyt, rue, ry, vue, vy, mur, my:r. y=i+i [j] When y stands between two vowels, it is equiva 1 After g or q, u is generally silent if followed by a vowel. lent to i+i and the first i belongs to the preceding syllable, the second i to the following syllable. Ex.: voyage, vwaja:3, joyeux, zwajø, payer, peje. 8. Compound Vowels. In French many combinations of vowels (i.e. letters) have exactly the same pronunciation as the simple vowels (i.e. sounds) just given. ai [e] Pronounced like closed e (é) above. This sound is the pronunciation of ai final in the first person of avoir and first person of future and past definite, and in a few other words. Ex.: gai, ge, j'ai, ze, porterai, pɔrtəre. ai [e] In imperfect tense and conditional has sound of open e (è). This sound is the usual pronunciation of ai followed by a consonant in the same syllable. Ex.: étais, ete, porterais, pɔrtɔre, mais, me, lait, le. ei [e] Pronounced like open e (è). Ex.: Seine, Se(:)n, neige, ne:3, haleine, ale:n. au, eau [o] Usually pronounced like closed o (ô). Ex.: chapeau, Sapo, animaux, animo, aux, o, eau, o. Ex.: Paul, pol, j'aurais, ɔre, mauvais, mɔve. eu, oeu closed [ø] Like u in spurt, with rounded lips. Ex.: ceux, sø, peut, pø, noeud, nø. eu, oeu open [a] No equivalent in English. Almost like the letter i in girl. Ex.: fleurs, flæ:r, soeur, sæ:r, oeuvres, æ:vr. ou [u] Like oo in boom. Ex.: tout, tu, mourir, muri:r, pour, pur. 9. Division of Words into Syllables. — There is no slurring of syllables in French as there is in English. French words have as many syllables as they have separate vowel sounds. In dividing syllables, observe that whenever possible each syllable begins with a consonant and ends with a vowel. ca-pa-ble ha-bi-le con-ti-nu-er im-pos-si-bi-li-té dé-sert Two consecutive consonants usually belong to different syllables. If the second consonant is 1 or r, both consonants are pronounced with the second syllable; so likewise with gn, ch, ph, th. a-gneau a-chat a-po-thé-o-se mor-pho-lo-gi-e ir-ré-sis-ti-ble ba-lu-stra-de 10. Nasal Vowels (often called nasal sounds). A vowel followed by n or m in the same syllable is nasal. (Note that wherever possible a syllable begins with a consonant.) A vowel is not nasal before mm, mn, or nn. Thus, immense is pronounced (m)mã:s, and ineffable is pronounced inefa(:)bl. Note, however, the common exceptions: The nasal sounds are pronounced through the nose, the mouth being open. The tongue must not touch the upper palate or teeth. None of these nasal sounds exist in English. 1 In words ending in -ien, -yen, like doyen, rien (and in forms of venir, tenir, like il vient, il tient), en has sound of nasal i, which see. 2 femme, solennel, and adverbs in -emment are irregularly pronounced. Ex.: femme, fam, solennel, sɔlanel, fréquemment, frekamă. om =nasal o [3]. on um =nasal u [~]. un Ex.: faim, fe, sain, sẽ, impossible; ẽ pɔsi:bl, fin, ƒẽ, frein, frễ, thym, te, syncope, sekɔp. Ex.: rompre, r5:pr, nom, no, non, no, mouton, mutɔ̃, bonbon, b3b5. Ex.: humble, a:bl, parfum, parfæ, brun, bra. Nowadays pronounced somewhat the same as in. Again it must be stated that in the nasal vowels, the letters m and n are silent. 11. Diphthongs. By diphthongs is meant a succession of two vowel sounds in a word, the first vowel being pronounced quickly and linked with the second. 1. ia, ié, iè, in, ion, ien, iai, iom, ian, ien. Ex.: amitié, amitje, nièce, njes, rien, rjë. 2 2. oi, oe,1 oy,2 oua. Pronounced like wa in waft. Ex.: roi, rwa, moelleux, mwalø, voyage, vwaja:s, ouate, wait. 3. oin has two pronunciations : [we] Ex. point, pwe, moins, mwe. [wa] Ex. poing, pwa, lointain, lwate. 4. ui, uy. Ex.: ennui, anyi, ennuyeux, anyiø. 5. oue (ouè). Ex.: girouette, zirwet, mouette, mwet. 6. oui. Ex.: oui, yes. 1 Occasionally oe is pronounced é. Ex.: oesophage, esɔfa:3. = oi+y; uy before a vowel equals ui+y. Ex.: 2 Oy before a vowel nettoyer, netwaje, essuyer, esyije. |