Pronouncing French nasal vowels
Feb 3rd, 2005 | 05:02 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 23,437
Likes: 0
Pronouncing French nasal vowels
The approximations given for French pronunciation are driving me crazy, so here are some suggestions to practice pronouncing nasal vowels:
To pronounce the French words <i>saint sain sein fin faim</i> etc., one can take the English word <i>help</i>, eliminate all the consonants and sustain the vowel tone. As the vowel tone is sustained, pinch your nostrils, and the sound produced will be the nasal vowel found in the words listed above. Practice it while pinching your nostrils, and then try it without pinching the nostrils and making sure that you do not pronounce the <i>n</i> or <i>m</i> whatsoever. BTW, the vowel in <i>help</i> would be the closest to the French vowel in St. Remy. In actual pronunciation, it is St. Rémy, and using my system it would be St. Rèmy, but the French ear would accept the difference.
To pronounce the French word <i>un</i>, take the English expression <i>duh</i>, maintain the vowel sound and pinch your nostrils.
To pronounce the French word <i>bon</i>, take the English word <i>boy</i> in its emphatic form where the vowel is closed, drop the sound produced by the existence of the y, maintain the vowel sound and pinch your nostrils. BTW, the beginning of boy (closing the <i>o</i> perhaps a little more than normal) is as close as one can get to the pure <i>o</i> sound in French, as in <i>beaucoup</i>.
To pronounce the French words <i>sans, sang, cent</i>, etc. take the English personal pronoun <i>I</i> and pronounce as if you came from the deep South. Maintain the sound and pinch your nostrils.
In all instances, the nasal consonant is silent, and when pronounced, it is because of a <i>liaison</i> with the following word as in <i>un ami</i>. But even then it should not spoil the nasal vowel by being anticipated; rather it should be thought of as part of the following word.
As for rhythm, short French phrases are pronounced as if one were counting in English:
one two un chat
one two three j’ai un chat
one two three four j’ai un chat noir
one two three for five il a un chat noir
To pronounce the French words <i>saint sain sein fin faim</i> etc., one can take the English word <i>help</i>, eliminate all the consonants and sustain the vowel tone. As the vowel tone is sustained, pinch your nostrils, and the sound produced will be the nasal vowel found in the words listed above. Practice it while pinching your nostrils, and then try it without pinching the nostrils and making sure that you do not pronounce the <i>n</i> or <i>m</i> whatsoever. BTW, the vowel in <i>help</i> would be the closest to the French vowel in St. Remy. In actual pronunciation, it is St. Rémy, and using my system it would be St. Rèmy, but the French ear would accept the difference.
To pronounce the French word <i>un</i>, take the English expression <i>duh</i>, maintain the vowel sound and pinch your nostrils.
To pronounce the French word <i>bon</i>, take the English word <i>boy</i> in its emphatic form where the vowel is closed, drop the sound produced by the existence of the y, maintain the vowel sound and pinch your nostrils. BTW, the beginning of boy (closing the <i>o</i> perhaps a little more than normal) is as close as one can get to the pure <i>o</i> sound in French, as in <i>beaucoup</i>.
To pronounce the French words <i>sans, sang, cent</i>, etc. take the English personal pronoun <i>I</i> and pronounce as if you came from the deep South. Maintain the sound and pinch your nostrils.
In all instances, the nasal consonant is silent, and when pronounced, it is because of a <i>liaison</i> with the following word as in <i>un ami</i>. But even then it should not spoil the nasal vowel by being anticipated; rather it should be thought of as part of the following word.
As for rhythm, short French phrases are pronounced as if one were counting in English:
one two un chat
one two three j’ai un chat
one two three four j’ai un chat noir
one two three for five il a un chat noir
Feb 3rd, 2005 | 05:51 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
If I were to sit down with you, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that these instructions would make sense. But they seem too complicated, given in a vacuum, and I think I can only make the target sounds because I know what the sounds are supposed to be, in the first place.
I think that sounds can be found in everyday spoken American English to approximate the four nasal vowel sounds.
Most people have heard the name Jean Valjean in the musical Les Miserables - - and that seems to be the best way I know to explain the "an" sound.
I still believe that the English "sandwich", especially if pronounced "like a five year old", contains an initial vowel sound that is quite good for "in/ain/ein" etc... just dont pronounce ANY trace of the N" or the "d".
The contractions "don't" and "won't" contain the "on" nasal sound pretty well, as long as you don't pronounce ANY TRACE of the "n", nor the "t". I think that "don't" and "won't" have a different sound than the long O in "bone" or "cone".
And for "un", there is a sound often heard in popular music or rap, but that doesn't help represent it in writing. The name of the character Kunta (Kinte) in Alex Haley's "Roots" contains a close approximation to the French nasal vowel "un" - - just remove the "K", the "n" and the "ta"... and it's pretty close. Just remember (and I hope this won't sound like a bad racist pun) - - the character was NOT named KOONta Kinte.
Best wishes,
Rex
I think that sounds can be found in everyday spoken American English to approximate the four nasal vowel sounds.
Most people have heard the name Jean Valjean in the musical Les Miserables - - and that seems to be the best way I know to explain the "an" sound.
I still believe that the English "sandwich", especially if pronounced "like a five year old", contains an initial vowel sound that is quite good for "in/ain/ein" etc... just dont pronounce ANY trace of the N" or the "d".
The contractions "don't" and "won't" contain the "on" nasal sound pretty well, as long as you don't pronounce ANY TRACE of the "n", nor the "t". I think that "don't" and "won't" have a different sound than the long O in "bone" or "cone".
And for "un", there is a sound often heard in popular music or rap, but that doesn't help represent it in writing. The name of the character Kunta (Kinte) in Alex Haley's "Roots" contains a close approximation to the French nasal vowel "un" - - just remove the "K", the "n" and the "ta"... and it's pretty close. Just remember (and I hope this won't sound like a bad racist pun) - - the character was NOT named KOONta Kinte.
Best wishes,
Rex
Feb 3rd, 2005 | 07:16 PM
#5
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,605
Likes: 0
Michael, I just tried this and my cat went shrieking from my office and my husband rushed in to offer CPR. Clearly I need to practice some more--even if it's offensive to the rest of my household. Regardless, your lesson was infinitely more fun than the Pimsleur CDs I was listening to earlier tonight. Thanks.
Feb 3rd, 2005 | 09:00 PM
#6
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 0
I speak French (almost) well enough to be understood, and I work with someone who is a professional French teacher (she taught Princess Anne!) but I don't understand anything at all of the above postings. I can sympathise with the cat.
Trending Topics
Feb 3rd, 2005 | 11:11 PM
#9
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,456
Likes: 0
Just an obsevation but when Europeans (sorry about generalization but by this I mean some people/friends I know of different European nationalities.) imitate speaking American English (as opposed to British English) a bit mockingly, they do it with this sort of nasal (not necessarily the French nasals but as you put "nose pinching"
sounds. Is this maybe an southern (e.g. Texas?) American thing? If this is the case, some of you might already have this nose pinching sounds close to those found in "fin" and "faim".
sounds. Is this maybe an southern (e.g. Texas?) American thing? If this is the case, some of you might already have this nose pinching sounds close to those found in "fin" and "faim".
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
justretired
Europe
49
Mar 30th, 2012 12:59 AM
