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 GIFT OF 
 
 v/Timpr J<°s?/nn 
 
 : 
 
A HANDBOOK OF 
 
 [FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM A. NITZE 
 
 AND 
 
 ERNEST H. WILKINS 
 
 University of Chicago 
 
 WITH EXERCISES BY 
 
 CLARENCE E. PARMENTER 
 
 University of Chicago 
 
 NEW YORK 
 HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 
 
A HANDBOOK OF 
 
 FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM A. NITZE 
 
 AND 
 
 ERNEST H. WILKINS 
 
 University of Chicago 
 
 WITH EXERCISES BY 
 
 CLARENCE E. PARMENTER 
 
 University of Chicago 
 
 NEW YORK 
 HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 
 
39 O 4 3<t> 
 
 CCPYBIGHT, 1913, 
 
 NH3 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 
 
 
 
PREFACE 
 
 This little book is intended as a manual for elementary 
 and advanced students of the French language. In ele- 
 mentary courses it may be employed as a substitute for the 
 pages devoted to pronunciation in whatever Grammar the 
 teacher is using. In such courses the material printed in 
 small type should be omitted. In advanced courses, the 
 book may be used as a basis for a review of the pronuncia- 
 tion, and as a reference book. 
 
 The authors have endeavored to present the essential 
 facts of French pronunciation, but have purposely excluded 
 the treatment of minor variations in sound (for example, 
 intermediate vowel qualities) and the registration of words 
 which are distinctly rare. In many cases Frenchmen them- 
 selves vary in the utterance of a given word or group of 
 words: in such cases we have generally given only the 
 variety which seems approved by the best usage. For such 
 disputed questions, and for all matters of greater detail, 
 the reader is urged to consult the books listed in the Bibli- 
 ography. 
 
 We have endeavored to present the essential facts as 
 clearly and effectively as possible. Most earlier publica- 
 tions on the same subject mingle the treatment of the several 
 sounds with the rules for the pronunciation of the several 
 letters. The results of such a method seem to us unfortunate : 
 the student confuses his material, and rarely concentrates 
 his attention on the really important matter — the actual 
 learning of the difficult French sounds. These dangers we 
 have tried to avoid by treating, first, one by one, the several 
 sounds; then, one by one, the several letters. 
 
 iii 
 
 afiflfiafi 
 
IV PREFACE 
 
 Thus, under the heading of Analysis, the sounds of French 
 are explained in sections 1-63. Each sound is represented 
 by a phonetic symbol. Its formation is set forth, its various 
 spellings are listed, and French words containing it are given 
 as examples. The sounds are arranged in their most logical 
 phonetic order, starting with the lip-sounds and moving 
 toward those made in the back of the mouth. The lists of 
 the various spellings of the several sounds are of little value 
 to the beginner, and are therefore printed in small type. 
 To the advanced student they may be very useful, particu- 
 larly in training for the identification of French words as 
 spoken. 
 
 The letters are treated, in alphabetical order, in sections 
 70-95. In each case rules are given, showing what sound 
 the letter in question represents under each of its varying 
 conditions. Care has been taken to classify and interrelate 
 the rules; and the typographical arrangement is so devised 
 as to reenforce the logical classification. It is hoped that 
 the student will thus be enabled to solve quickly, by ref- 
 erence to these sections, his particular difficulties as to the 
 pronunciation of given words. 
 
 Proper names and foreign words having marked peculiari- 
 ties are relegated to sections 96 and 97. In most earlier 
 treatises on French pronunciation such words are introduced 
 among the normal French words, thus causing bewildering 
 and relatively unimportant additions to the fundamental 
 set of rules. Our treatment prevents this unnecessary con- 
 fusion. Our list of these words is of course merely selective: 
 the attempt to give even a moderately complete list of them 
 would be beyond the scope of the present book. 
 
 The second division of the treatise, called Synthesis, deals 
 with the problems of actual speech, that is, connected speech. 
 Here the student will find an explanation of the chief prin- 
 ciples of syllabification, stress, quantity, linking, and in- 
 
PREFACE V 
 
 tonation. But it cannot be too often said that French is a 
 living language and should be learned as such. The justi- 
 fication for any practical treatise on Phonetics is that it can 
 be used as a scientific educational tool by a good teacher, 
 himself possessing a fair pronunciation of the language and 
 being always ready to impart his knowledge through the use 
 of viva voce methods. For such use this book is intended; 
 and consequently the second part, in particular, offers sug- 
 gestions rather than dogmatic rules. This applies with 
 particular force to the difficult subject of Intonation, which 
 the authors are convinced can really be mastered only by 
 imitating those who speak French well. 
 
 Recognizing the fact that the needs and the methods of 
 individual teachers vary greatly, we have so distributed the 
 statements and the exercises that the teacher may by selec- 
 tion and rearrangement construct and assign a series of 
 lessons precisely adapted to his own purposes. In elemen- 
 tary courses, for example, the teacher may think it best, 
 particularly if time is limited, to assign first only the most 
 important of the paragraphs in large print, with the corre- 
 sponding exercises, and to assign the more detailed material 
 later and gradually, as the student's vocabulary and knowl- 
 edge of grammar increase. Or if in any course the teacher 
 should prefer to vary the order in which the sounds are pre- 
 sented — should he, for example, prefer in teaching the oral 
 vowels to begin with the extreme positions [i], [a], [u], and 
 then fill in with the intermediate sounds — he will find no 
 trouble in making his assignments accordingly. 
 
 The exercises may be expanded ad libitum. They may 
 serve as models on which others may be constructed by the 
 teacher or the class. 
 
 The phonetic symbols used in this book are those of the 
 Association phonetique Internationale. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 ANALYSIS . . . 1 
 
 SOUNDS 1 
 
 The Production of Speech-Sounds 1 
 
 The Sounds of French 2 
 
 The Relation of French Sounds to French Spelling . 2 
 
 Diphthongs 4 
 
 Vowels 4 
 
 Oral 4 
 
 Front 6 
 
 Back 8 
 
 Mixed (Rounded Front) 9 
 
 Nasal 11 
 
 Semiconsonants 13 
 
 Consonants 15 
 
 Classification of Consonants 15 
 
 Consonants Similar in French and English 16 
 
 Explosive 17 
 
 Fricative 19 
 
 Nasal 20 
 
 Trilled 21 
 
 Lateral 21 
 
 Table of Sounds, Usual Spellings, and Examples ... 22 
 
 LETTERS AND SIGNS 24 
 
 Alphabet 24 
 
 Accents 25 
 
 Dleresis 25 
 
 Cedilla *. 26 
 
 LETTERS 26 
 
 Double Consonant-Letters . 26 
 
 Final Consonant-Letters 27 
 
 The Individual Letters 27 
 
 Foreign Words 56 
 
 Proper Names 57 
 
 vii 
 
VU1 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 SYNTHESIS 59 
 
 SYLLABIC DIVISION 59 
 
 In Speech 59 
 
 In^Spelling and Writing 60 
 
 STRESS 61 
 
 In a Single Word 61 
 
 In Connected Speech 61 
 
 Word Groups 61 
 
 Logical and Emotional Stress 62 
 
 VOWEL QUANTITY 63 
 
 LIAISON 64 
 
 ASSIMILATION 66 
 
 ELISION 67 
 
 PITCH 67 
 
 INTONATION 68 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 70 
 
 EXERCISES 71 
 
 PHONETIC READINGS 89 
 
 FRENCH SELECTIONS FOR ORAL PRACTICE ... 99 
 
 INDEX 105 
 
A HANDBOOK OF FBENCE PHONETICS 
 
 ANALYSIS 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 1. The Production of Speech-Sounds. The chief factor 
 in any speech-sound is breath. As the breath passes upward 
 between the vocal chords it may or it may not be trans- 
 formed into a musical sound called voice. It is transformed 
 into voice if the vocal chords are stretched and brought 
 close together so that they vibrate periodically as the breath 
 passes between them. It remains simply breath if the vocal 
 chords remain lax and apart. If the breath is transformed 
 into voice, the speech-sound is called a voiced sound; if the 
 breath remains simply breath, the speech-sound is called a 
 voiceless sound. In the English word "fad," for instance, 
 the / is voiceless and the a and d are voiced. 
 
 When the breath or voice issues upward from the vocal 
 chords it enters a triple cavity consisting of the top of 
 the throat (pharynx), the mouth, and the nasal passage: 
 see Diagram A. The speech-sounds are differentiated from 
 each other according to the shape assumed by this cavity 
 and according to the openings and stoppages it presents to 
 the breath. The shape of the cavity is altered chiefly by the 
 motion of the tongue, the rounding or unrounding of the 
 lips, the lowering or raising of the lower jaw, and the lower- 
 ing or raising of the soft palate (velum) at the back entrance 
 of the nasal passage. The possible openings for the escape 
 of the breath are the oral opening, between the lips, and the 
 nasal opening, the nostrils. The oral opening may be closed 
 by the lips; the whole nasal passage may be shut off by the 
 raising of the soft palate. The tongue may effect partial 
 stoppage of the breath at various points in the mouth. 
 
 1 
 
£ A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 If the breath becomes voice at the vocal chords and 
 issues through the mouth, or through the mouth and nose, 
 without enough stoppage to produce audible friction, the 
 speech-sound is called a vowel. 1 
 
 If the stoppage of the breath is sufficient to cause audible 
 friction, or noise, and the amount of noise is approximately 
 equal to the amount of voice, the speech-sound is called a 
 semiconsonant (or a semivowel). In English the letters w 
 and y usually represent semiconsonant sounds. 
 
 If the noise predominates over the voice, or if the breath 
 issues from the vocal chords without becoming voice (that 
 is, if it produces only audible friction), the speech-sound is 
 called a consonant. Accordingly, consonants are either 
 voiced or voiceless. 
 
 Thus, the basis of a vowel is voice or musical sound, that 
 Of a consonant is noise or audible friction, and that of a 
 semiconsonant is an almost equal amount of noise and voice. 
 
 2. The Sounds of French. The French language has 37 dif- 
 ferent sounds : 16 vowels, 3 semiconsonants, and 18 consonants. 
 
 For each of these sounds we use a phonetic symbol. 
 Most of these sjrmbols are identical in form with ordinary 
 letters, for example: [a], [f], [t]. Others are letters modified 
 in some particular way: [a], [n], [o]. Others are special signs: 
 RL [5]) [0]- All letters or signs printed in this book in square 
 brackets [ ] are phonetic symbols. 
 
 The entire series, or alphabet, of the thirty-seven phonetic 
 symbols requisite for French is tabulated in section 63. 
 
 3. The Relation of French Sounds to French Spelling. 
 French spelling, like English spelling, is not phonetic. A 
 given sound may be represented in a given word by one 
 letter or combination of letters, and in another word by an- 
 other letter or combination of letters, while a given letter or 
 
 1 This definition does not hold good for whispered speech, in which 
 of course audible friction is present. 
 
SOUNDS 
 
 Diagram A 
 
 1, Nostrils; 2, Nasal passage; 3, Lips; 
 4, Teeth; 5, Palate; 6, Velum, raised (as 
 for oral vowels) ; 7, Velum, lowered (as 
 for nasal vowels); 8, Uvula (the tip of 
 the velum); 9, Tongue; 10, Pharynx; 
 11, Vocal chords (glottis). The advanced 
 student will do well to consult a good 
 medical chart of the throat, mouth, and 
 nose. 
 
 combination of letters may represent now one sound, now an- 
 other. Many letters, moreover, in French as in English, are 
 in certain cases silent, — that is, do not represent sounds at all. 
 In English, for instance, the sound of e in "me" is some- 
 times represented by e, as in the word "me," sometimes by 
 ee, as in "reed," sometimes by ea, as in "read" (present 
 
4 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 tense); while the ea in "read" (present tense) represents a 
 sound different from that represented by ea in "read" (past 
 tense). In the word "knight" the k, g, and h are silent. So 
 in French the words est and aient, though spelled very dif- 
 ferently, are identical in sound, and in each the consonant- 
 letters are silent (each word consists simply of the sound [e] : 
 see section 10) ; while in the word aimai the two az's have 
 different sounds ([e] and [e]: see sections 10 and 9). 
 
 4. Diphthongs. A true diphthong is a combination of two vowel 
 sounds uttered with the same impulse of breath and in the same syl- 
 lable. In English, diphthongs are frequent. They are represented 
 sometimes by two vowel-letters, as in the word "voice," sometimes 
 by a single letter, as in the words "my," which is pronounced "ma-ee," 
 and "go," which is really pronounced "go u ." The second element of 
 the diphthong, in such a word as "go," is often called an off-glide. 
 In French there are no true diphthongs. The French combinations 
 which most nearly resemble diphthongs are those consisting of a semi- 
 consonant and a vowel sound: see sections 28-38. 
 
 A combination of two letters representing a single sound, like the 
 ea in "read," is called a digraph. 
 
 VOWELS . 
 
 5. Vowels are sounds in which the voice issues through 
 the mouth, or through the mouth and nose, with little or no 
 stoppage: see section 1. 
 
 The French language has 16 vowels, of which 12 are oral 
 vowels and 4 are nasal vowels. 
 
 Oral Vowels 
 
 6. An oral vowel is one spoken through the mouth only. 
 In its utterance the velum is raised, thus shutting off the 
 nasal passage. 
 
 The French oral vowels are pronounced more distinctly 
 and more tensely than the English vowels. In English the 
 vocal organs often relax during the pronunciation of a vowel, 
 so that it ends in a sort of off-glide; "go," for instance, is 
 
VOWELS 5 
 
 really pronounced " go u " : see section 4. In French there is no 
 such off-glide; the vocal organs retain their position until the 
 pronunciation of the vowel is complete. The student should 
 be on his guard against carrying over into his pronunciation 
 of French his habits of English vowel pronunciation. 
 
 Diagram B 
 
 Diagram B shows the different places in the mouth at 
 which the several oral vowels are formed, and indicates the 
 manner of their formation. The left end of the horizontal 
 line represents the position of the teeth; the right end, the 
 position of the uvula. The nearness of the symbol to the 
 horizontal line indicates the degree to which the tongue is 
 raised in the formation of the vowel in question. The four 
 vowels whose symbols appear on the straight slanting line 
 are called front vowels. The four on the solid curved line are 
 called back vowels. The four on the dotted curved line are 
 called mixed vowels, or rounded front vowels. 
 
 Diagram C gives representative words (key-words) con- 
 taining the several vowel sounds. 
 
A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Front Vowels 
 
 7. In the formation of all the French front vowels there 
 occurs a forward movement or fronting of the tongue. The 
 lips are drawn closer to the teeth than in the formation of 
 the corresponding English vowels. 
 
 8. [i]. In the formation of this sound the blade of the 
 tongue is close to the front of the hard palate. The tip of 
 the tongue is bent down so as to touch the lower teeth. 
 The mouth is very nearly closed. The corners of the lips 
 are drawn back, and the jaws do not move. 
 
 This sound is similar to the vowel sound in English 
 "beet," but it is pronounced more tensely. The vowel 
 sound of English "it" does not occur in standard French. 
 
 This sound is represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by i or i (that is, i with a circum- 
 flex accent, called "t circumflex": the ac- 
 cents will be discussed in section 65) ; 
 
 in a few words, after the sounds [a] or [o], 
 by l (that is, "i with a diaeresis" : see sec- 
 tion 66) ; 
 
 in the word y, and in a few bookish words, 
 by y. 
 
 For the representation of the phonetic 
 combinations [ij] and [ji], see sections 30 
 and 31. 
 
 1 In all French words chosen as giving examples of the several 
 sounds, the portion of the word printed in bold-face type has the 
 sound in question. Each example is followed by a set of phonetic 
 symbols indicating the exact pronunciation of the word. The con- 
 sonant-letters used as symbols in sections 8-54 represent sounds ap- 
 proximately equivalent to the ordinary sounds of the corresponding 
 English letters; except that [r] and [1] represent sounds somewhat 
 different from English r and I (see sections 61 and 62), and that [j] 
 represents a sound equivalent to the ordinary sound of English y. The 
 phonetic symbol [g] represents the sound of g in "go"; the symbol [s] 
 represents the sound of the voiceless s of "base." The sign : after a 
 vowel-symbol indicates that the vowel represented by that symbol is 
 long. Vowels whose symbols are not followed by that sign are short. 
 
 2 For the sound indicated by the symbol [a], see section 11. 
 
 EXAMPLES 1 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 fini 
 
 [fini] 
 
 vie 
 ile 
 
 [vi] 
 [i:l] 
 
 naif 
 
 [naif] 2 
 
 lyre 
 
 [li:r] 
 
VOWELS 
 
 9. [e]. This sound is called close e. 
 
 The blade of the tongue is slightly lower than for [i], and 
 the mouth is wider open. 
 
 This sound is similar to the a in English "fate," but it is 
 pronounced more tensely, and the lips are drawn back more. 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by e, 6 ("e acute"), or ai; 
 
 in the word abbaye, and in the word pays 
 and its derivatives, by a; 
 
 in a few bookish words, as initial, by oe. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 et 
 nez 
 ete 
 gai 
 
 [el 
 [ne] 
 [etel 
 [gel 
 
 pays 
 
 [peil 1 
 
 oedipe 
 
 [edip] 
 
 10. [c]. This sound is called open e. 
 
 The blade of the tongue is slightly lower than for [e], and 
 the mouth is wider open. The sides of the tongue come into 
 contact with the upper front molars. 
 
 This sound is opener than that of e in English "bed." 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by e, e ("e grave 1 
 circumflex"), or ei; 
 
 '), $, ai, ai ("ai 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 met 
 
 [me] 
 
 penne 
 
 [pen] 
 
 des 
 
 [de] 
 
 bete 
 
 [be:t] 
 
 fait 
 
 M 
 
 faite 
 
 [test] 
 
 peine 
 
 [pen] 
 
 payer 
 
 [peje] 
 
 payement 
 
 [pema] 2 
 
 Noel 
 
 [noel] 3 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 in some words, before y, by a; 
 in the word payement, by ay; 
 in the word Noel, by e. 
 
 11. [a]. In the formation of this sound the tongue re- 
 mains fiat, with its tip still pressed against the lower 
 incisors. The mouth and lips are opened to a normally 
 wide position. 
 
 1 These words are sometimes otherwise pronounced : see section 70. 
 
 2 For the sound indicated by the symbol [a], see section 25. 
 
 3 For the sound indicated by the symbol [o], see section 14. 
 
8 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 In formation and in acoustic effect this sound lies between 
 the a in English "pat" and the a in English "father." 1 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 usually by a; 
 
 in a few words, when final, by a; 
 
 in certain verb endings of the 1st conju- 
 gation, by a; 
 
 in a few words, before m or n, by e. 
 
 For the representation of the phonetic 
 combination [wa], see section 35. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 patte 
 cave 
 
 [pat] 
 [kaiv] 
 
 la 
 
 [la] 
 
 aimames 
 
 [emam] 
 
 femme 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [fam] 
 
 Back Vowels 
 
 12. In the formation of all the back vowels the tongue is 
 drawn back, and the lips are rounded. 
 
 13. [a]. This sound differs distinctly from [a]. The blade 
 of the tongue is as low as possible in the mouth. The tip 
 does not quite touch the lower teeth. The lips are slightly 
 rounded. 
 
 This sound is somewhat deeper in tone than the normal 
 pronunciation of the a in English "father." 
 
 It is represented in spelling: examples 
 
 usually by a or d; 
 
 sometimes, before n in liaison (see sec- 
 tions 104-108), by e. 
 
 For the representation of the phonetic 
 combination [wa], see section 37. 
 
 pas 
 
 tasse 
 
 ame 
 
 en 6te" 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [pa] 
 
 [ta:s] 
 
 [cum] 
 
 [anete] 
 
 14. [o]. This sound is called open o. 
 
 The back of the tongue is slightly higher than for [a], and 
 the lips are more rounded. 
 
 This sound lies between the u in English "fun" and the 
 a in "law." 
 
 1 "father," in the phonetic notation of Webster's New International 
 Dictionary. 
 
VOWELS 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 usually by o or au; 
 
 in the words hdpital and hdtel, by 6. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 note 
 fort 
 aurai 
 
 hdtel 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [not] 
 [fair] 
 [ore] 
 
 [otel] 
 
 15. [o]. This sound is called close o. 
 
 The back of the tongue is considerably higher than for [o], 
 and the lips are tenser, with more definite rounding. 
 
 This sound is similar to the o in English "go," but it is 
 pronounced more tensely. 
 
 is represented in spelling: 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 by o, 6, au, or eau. 
 
 nos 
 
 [no] 
 
 
 tome 
 
 [to:m] 
 
 
 tdt 
 
 [to] 
 
 
 aux 
 
 [o] 
 
 
 beau 
 
 [bo] 
 
 16. [u]. The back of the tongue 
 being close to the soft palate, and the 
 
 This sound is like that of the oo in 
 that the lips are farther forward and 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 usually by ou or ou; 
 
 is higher than for [o], 
 lips are more rounded. 1 
 English "toot," except 
 more tensely rounded. 
 
 in the word ou, by ou; 
 
 in the word aout and its derivatives, 
 aou. 
 
 by 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 SOU 
 
 douze 
 gout 
 
 [su] 
 
 [du:z] 
 
 [gu] 
 
 ou 
 
 [u] 
 
 aout 
 
 M 
 
 Mixed Vowels 
 (Rounded Front Vowels) 
 
 17. In the formation of the mixed vowels there occurs 
 a fronting of the tongue, and the lips are rounded. The 
 learner should first get the correct tongue position, and then, 
 still holding the tongue in that position, round the lips. 
 
 1 Dumville says {Elements of French Pronunciation and Diction, 
 p. 50): "For u, the round hole made by the lips should be just large 
 enough to allow the end of an ordinary lead pencil to pass in and out." 
 
10 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 18. [y]. In the formation of this sound the tongue and 
 jaws have the same position as for [i], and the lips are rounded 
 as for [u]. 
 
 This sound has no counterpart in English. It is quite 
 unlike either English u, as in "mute," or English oo, as in 
 "moot." 
 
 It is represented in spelling: examples symbols 
 
 usually by u or u; 
 
 in certain forms of the verb avoir, by eu 
 or eu. 
 
 une 
 cuve 
 
 da 
 
 eus 
 eut 
 
 [yn] 
 
 [ky:v] 
 
 [dy] 
 
 [y] 
 [y] 
 
 19. [0]. This sound is called close eu. 
 In its formation the tongue and jaws have the same posi- 
 tion as for [e], and the lips are rounded as for [o]. 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 by eu, eu, or ceu. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 feu 
 meute 
 jeuner 
 nceud 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 [fc] 
 
 [ni0:t] 
 
 [$0ne] 1 
 
 [n0] 
 
 20. [oe]. This sound is called open eu. 
 
 In its formation the tongue and jaws have the same posi- 
 tion as for [e], and the lips are rounded as for [o]. 
 
 It is not unlike the u in English "burn" when the r is not 
 sounded. 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 usually by eu or ceu; 
 
 in a few words, before medial ill or final 
 il, by oe; 
 
 in the few words in which it stands be- 
 tween c or g and medial ill or final il, by 
 ue; 
 
 sometimes, before n in liaison, by u. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 peuple 
 veuve 
 sceur 
 
 [pcepl] 
 [vce:v] 
 [scerr] 
 
 oeillet 
 ceil 
 
 [ceje] 
 [ceij] 
 
 cueillir 
 orgueil 
 
 [kcejiir] 
 [orgceij] 
 
 un ami 
 
 [cenami] 
 
 For the sound indicated by the symbol [3], see section 55. 
 
VOWELS 
 
 11 
 
 21. [a]. This sound is called mute e or feminine e. 
 
 It differs from [oe] chiefly in that it is not so tense. It is 
 always very short, and never stressed. 
 
 It is not unlike the unstressed e in English "the man/' or 
 the a in "Louisa." 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 usually by e; 
 
 in the stem-syllable of certain forms and 
 derivatives of the verb faire, by ai; 
 
 in the word monsieur, by on. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 de 
 me 
 
 faisait 
 monsieur 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [da] 
 [ma] 
 
 [faze] 
 [masjo] 
 
 Nasal Vowels 
 
 22. A nasal vowel is one pronounced simultaneously 
 through the mouth and the nose. The velum is dropped, 
 and the breath passes through both the oral and the nasal 
 passages. The tongue position, for all nasal vowels, is low. 
 
 They are as distinct as the oral vowels. They have noth- 
 ing of the American "nasal twang." Care must be taken 
 not to close the mouth until the pronunciation of the vowel 
 is completed. 
 
 The sign ~ over a vowel-symbol indicates that the vowel 
 is nasal. 
 
 23. In spelling, nasal vowels are represented by vowel- 
 letters followed by checked m or n: that is, m or n followed 
 by a consonant other than m or n, or final. 1 The checked 
 m or n is itself silent. 
 
 Thus the m or n is checked, and the preceding vowel is 
 nasal, in the words camp [ka], comte [koit], faim [fe], onze 
 [5iz], saint [se], un [de]; whereas the m or n is not checked, 
 
 1 The terms "checked m" and "checked n" are new. They may 
 not at first commend themselves to phoneticians who are accustomed 
 to apply "checked" to vowels only; but we believe the new terms 
 justified by their essential accuracy and their great convenience. 
 
12 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 and the preceding vowel is oral, in the words aima [ema], 
 comme [kom], amnistie [amnisti], inutile [inytil], donna [dona]. 
 
 In a very few words a nasal vowel is represented by a vowel-letter 
 followed by an m or n that is not checked; and in a very few cases 
 vowel-letters followed by checked m or n do not represent nasal sounds: 
 see the Notes in sections 83 and 84. 
 
 24. [e]. This sound is the nasal equivalent of a sound 
 intermediate between oral [e] and oral [a]. 
 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by aim, ain, eim, ein, im, or 
 in; 
 
 after the sounds [e] or Ij], by en; 
 
 in certain forms of tenir and venir, by 
 in; 
 
 in a few bookish words, by em, en, 
 'in, ym, or yn. 
 
 For the representation of the pho- 
 netic combination [we], see section 
 38. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 faim 
 
 sainte 
 
 Reims 
 
 sein 
 
 simple 
 
 vin 
 
 europeen 
 bien 
 
 vinmes 
 
 sempiternel 
 
 examen 
 
 coincider 
 
 nymphe 
 
 syntaxe 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 m 
 
 [se:t] 
 
 [re:s] 
 
 [se] 
 
 [seipl] 
 
 [ve] 
 
 [ceropee] 
 [bje] 
 
 [ve:m] 
 
 [sepiternel] 
 
 [egzamel 
 
 [koeside] 
 
 [ne:f] 
 
 [setaks] 
 
 25. [ft]. This sound is the nasal equivalent of oral [a] 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 usually by am, an, em, or en; 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 camp 
 dans 
 tempe 
 dent 
 
 paon 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 Ika] 
 
 [da] 
 
 [taip] 
 
 [da] 
 
 [pa] 
 
 in a few monosyllabic nouns, by aon. 
 
 26. [5]. This sound is the nasal equivalent of a sound 
 intermediate between oral [o] and oral [o]. 
 It is represented in spelling: 
 by om or on. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 dom 
 bon 
 
 onze 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 do] 
 bo] 
 o:z] 
 
SEMICONSONANTS 
 
 13 
 
 21. [6b]. This sound is the nasal equivalent of oral [ce]. 
 
 It is represented in spelling: examples symbols 
 
 by urn, un, or eun. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 humble 
 parfum 
 un 
 jeun 
 
 [cbibl] 
 [parfoe] 
 [eel 
 [303] 
 
 SEMICONSONANTS 
 
 28. Semiconsonants are sounds in which the voice and 
 the noise of the friction resulting from the stoppage of 
 the breath are approximately equal in strength: see sec- 
 tion 1. 
 
 The French language has three semiconsonants: [j], [uj, 
 and [w]. 
 
 29. [j]. This sound corresponds to [i] spoken very lightly. 
 It is equivalent to the y in English "you." 
 
 It is represented in spelling: examples 
 
 when initial: 
 usually by y; 
 in a few bookish words, by i or i; 
 
 when medial : 
 
 after a consonant, by i; 
 after a vowel, by i, y, or ill; 
 
 when final in sound but not in spell- 
 ing (i.e., before final e), by ill; 
 
 when final in sound and in spelling: 
 
 usually by il; 
 
 in the word linceul, by I. 
 
 For the representation of the pho- 
 netic combinations [ij], [ji], and 
 [waj], see sections 30, 31, and 36. 
 
 yeux 
 
 ionique 
 iiambe 
 
 bien 
 
 paien 
 payer 
 bataillon 
 
 bataille 
 
 betail 
 linceul 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 M 
 
 [jonik] 
 fiarb] 
 
 [bje] 
 
 [paje] 
 [peje] 
 [batajo] 
 
 [bataij] 
 
 [betarj] 
 [lesce:]] 1 
 
 1 This word is sometimes otherwise pronounced: see section 82. 
 
14 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 30. The phonetic combination [ij] is 
 represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by yi, ii, or ill; 
 
 in the words gresil and mil ("mil- 
 let"), by U. 
 
 For the representation of the pho- 
 netic combination [qij], see section 
 33. 
 
 31. The phonetic combination [ji] is 
 represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by Mi; 
 
 in the word abbaye, and in the word 
 pays and its derivatives, by y. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 payions 
 priions 
 fille 
 pavilion 
 
 gresil 
 
 taillis 
 
 abbaye 
 pays 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [peijo] 
 [pnjo] 
 [fi:j] 
 [pavijo] 
 
 [grezij] 
 
 [taji] 
 
 [abeji] 
 [peji] 1 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 cuisine 
 lui 
 
 [kqizin] 
 [Iqi] 
 
 32. [q]. This sound corresponds to [y] spoken very 
 lightly. 
 
 It is represented in spelling: examples symbols 
 
 by u. 
 
 For the representation of the pho- 
 netic combination [qij], see section 
 33. 
 
 33. The phonetic combination [qij] is 
 represented in spelling: 
 
 by uy. fuyard [f qij air] 
 
 34. [w]. This sound corresponds to [u] spoken very 
 lightly. 
 
 It is similar to the w in English "won," but the lips are 
 farther forward. 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [fwe] 
 [wi] 
 
 It is represented in spelling: examp 
 
 by ou. fouet 
 
 For the representation of the pho- 
 netic combinations [wa], [wa], and 
 [we], see sections 35-38. 
 
 1 These words are sometimes otherwise pronounced: see section 70. 
 
CONSONANTS 
 
 15 
 
 35. The phonetic combination [wa] is 
 represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by oi or oi; 
 
 in the word moelle and its derivatives, 
 by oe; 
 
 in the word poele and its derivatives, 
 by oe; 
 
 in a few words, by oua; 
 
 in certain verb forms of the first con- 
 jugation, by oud; 
 
 in some bookish words, after g or q, 
 by ua. 
 
 For the representation of the phonet- 
 ic combination [waj], see section 36. 
 
 36. The phonetic combination [waj] is 
 represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by oy; 
 
 in a few words, by ouaill. 
 
 37. The phonetic combination [wa] is 
 represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by oi or oi; 
 
 in the word -poele and its derivatives, 
 by o&. 
 
 38. The phonetic combination [we] is 
 represented in spelling: 
 
 usually by oin; 
 
 in a few words, by ouin. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 fois 
 
 cloison 
 
 boite 
 
 moelle 
 
 poele 
 
 ouate 
 louames 
 
 lingual 
 quadrupede 
 
 croyance 
 moyen 
 
 brouaille 
 
 bois 
 Cloitre 
 
 poelt 
 
 baragouin 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [fwa] 
 
 jklwazo] 
 
 [bwait] 
 
 [mwal] 
 
 [pwail] 1 
 
 [wat] 
 [lwam] 
 
 [legwal] 
 [kwadryped] 
 
 [krwajars] 
 [mwaje] 
 
 [brwaij] 
 
 [bwa] 
 [klwa:tr] 
 
 [pwail] 2 
 
 [swe] 
 [baragwe] 
 
 CONSONANTS 
 
 39. Classification of Consonants. Consonants are sounds 
 in which the noise of friction from stoppage of the breath 
 predominates over the sound of the voice, or constitutes the 
 
 1 These words are sometimes otherwise pronounced : see section 37. 
 
 2 These words are sometimes otherwise pronounced: see section 35. 
 
16 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 entire sound in case the breath does not become voice: see 
 section 1. Consonants in which voice is present are called 
 voiced consonants; those in which the breath does not become 
 voice are called voiceless consonants. 
 
 The French language has 18 consonants. They are classi- 
 fied in the following table according to the character and the 
 position of the stoppage. The character of the stoppage is 
 indicated by the terms at the left of the table, the position 
 of the stoppage by the terms at the top of the table. 
 
 
 LABIAL 
 
 LABIODENTAL 
 
 DENTAL 
 
 PREPALATAL 
 
 PALATAL 
 
 UVULAR 
 
 Explosive 
 
 [b] [p] 
 
 
 [d] [t] 
 
 
 [g] M 
 
 
 Fricative 
 
 
 W [f] 
 
 M [si 
 
 [3] Bl 
 
 
 
 Nasal 
 
 [m] 
 
 
 W 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 Trilled 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 [E] 
 
 Lateral 
 
 
 
 [i] 
 
 
 
 
 For the meaning of the terms explosive, fricative, nasal, 
 trilled, and lateral, see sections 41, 50, 57, 61, 62. 
 
 In each of the pairs of explosive and fricative consonants 
 the first is voiced, the second voiceless. The nasal, trilled, 
 and lateral consonants are all voiced. 
 
 The articulation of French consonants is clearer and tenser 
 than that of English consonants. 
 
 40. Consonants Similar in French and English. The 
 
 explosives, and the sounds [v], [f], [z], [s], [m], and [n], are 
 approximately equivalent to the ordinary sounds of the 
 English letters corresponding to the several symbols (this 
 means, in the case of [g], the g of "go," and in the case of 
 [s], the voiceless s of "base"). 
 
CONSONANTS 
 
 17 
 
 Explosive Consonants 
 
 41. In the utterance of the explosive consonants the 
 stoppage is complete, and then suddenly broken. 
 
 The French voiced explosives, [b], [d], and [g], differ from 
 the corresponding English sounds in that in the French ex- 
 plosives the voice begins when the vocal organs assume their 
 position for the sound, whereas in the English sounds the 
 voice does not begin until the explosion takes place. The 
 French sounds are therefore heard more distinctly than the 
 corresponding English sounds. 
 
 Care must be taken in French not to follow the explosion 
 with an audible breath. This can be avoided by bringing 
 the vocal chords together immediately after the explosion; 
 that is, by closing the glottis. 
 
 42. [b]. This sound is represented: 
 by 6 or 66. 
 
 43. [p]. This sound is represented: 
 usually by p or pp; 
 
 in some words, before s or t, by 6. 
 
 44. [d]. This sound is more dis- 
 tinctly dental than the English d. 
 
 It is represented: 
 by d or dd. 
 
 45. [t]. This sound is more dis- 
 tinctly dental than the English t. 
 
 It is represented: 
 usually by t or it; 
 
 in some bookish words, by th; 
 
 in certain words, when they occur in 
 liaison, by d. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 bas 
 abbe 
 
 pas 
 appeler 
 
 observer 
 
 aide 
 addition 
 
 ton 
 mette 
 
 [to] 
 [met] 
 
 theme 
 
 [tern] 
 
 grand homme 
 quand il 
 viendra 
 
 [gratom] 
 [katil- 
 vjedra] 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [ba] 
 [abe] 
 
 [pa] 
 [aple] 
 
 [opserve] 
 
 [e:d] 
 [adisja] 
 
18 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 46. [g]. This sound is represented: 
 usually by g or gg; 
 
 before a or o, in some verb forms, by 
 gu; 
 
 before e or i, by gu; 
 
 in the words second, anecdote, and 
 their derivatives, by c. 
 
 For the representation of the phonetic 
 combination [gz], see section 47. 
 
 47. The phonetic combination [gz] is 
 represented : 
 
 by x. 
 
 48. [k]. This sound is represented: 
 usually by c or cc; 
 
 1 
 
 before a or o, often by qu; 
 before e or i: 
 
 when initial, by qu; 
 
 when medial, by qu or cqu; 
 
 in a few words, as final, by q; 
 in some bookish words, by ch; 
 
 in some bookish words, by k; 
 
 in some bookish words, before the 
 sound [w], by q; 
 
 in certain words, when they occur in 
 liaison, by g. 
 
 For the representation of the phonetic 
 combination [ks], see section 49. 
 
 49. The phonetic combination [ks] is 
 represented : 
 
 usually by x; 
 
 in some wor 
 prefix ex-, bj 
 
 in some words, before e or i, by cc. 
 
 in some words which begin with the 
 prefix ex-, by xc or xs; 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 aigu 
 aggraver 
 
 briguons 
 
 guide 
 second 
 
 exiler 
 
 lac 
 accuser 
 
 quand 
 
 querelle 
 qui 
 
 requ^rir 
 grecque 
 
 coq 
 
 echo 
 chronique 
 
 kilometre 
 
 equation 
 
 sang impur 
 
 texte 
 excellent 
 
 acces 
 
CONSONANTS 
 
 19 
 
 Fkicative Consonants 
 
 50. In the utterance of the fricative consonants the 
 stoppage is partial and continuous. 
 
 51. [v]. This sound is represented: 
 
 usually by v; 
 
 in the word neuf, when it occurs in 
 liaison, by/. 
 
 52. [f]. This sound is represented: 
 usually by / or ff; 
 
 in some bookish words, by ph. 
 
 53. [z]. This sound is represented: 
 
 usually by z; 
 
 often, as medial, by s; 
 
 in a few numerals, by x; 
 
 in certain words, when they occur in 
 liaison, by s or x. 
 
 For the representation of [gz], see sec- 
 tion 47. 
 
 54. [s]. This sound is represented: 
 usually by s or ss; 
 
 often, before a or o, by c (that is, 
 with cedilla": see section 67); 
 
 often, before e, i, or y, by c or sc; 
 
 often, before the sound [j], by t; 
 
 in the word soixante, by x. 
 
 For the representation of [ks], see sec- 
 tion 49. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 seve 
 
 neuf heures 
 
 fine 
 effacer 
 
 philosophe 
 
 dizaine 
 
 vase 
 
 deuxieme 
 
 mes amis 
 deux amis 
 
 son 
 casse 
 
 [so] 
 [ka:s] 
 
 facade 
 
 [fasad] 
 
 ceci 
 
 [sosi] 
 
 cynique 
 scene 
 
 [sinik] 
 [se:n] 
 
 nation 
 
 [nasjo] 
 
 soixante 
 
 [swasa:t] 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [se:v] 
 [ncevceir] 
 
 [finl 
 
 [efase] 
 
 [fitozof] 
 
 [dizen] 
 
 [va:z] 
 
 [dozjem] 
 
 [mezami] 
 [dozami] 
 
20 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 55. [3]. This sound is approxi- 
 mately equivalent to the z in English 
 " azure," but the lips are protruded. 
 
 Care must be taken not to confuse 
 this sound with the ordinary sound of 
 English j: [d^]. 
 
 It is represented: 
 
 before a, 0, or u, by j or ge; 
 
 before e, i, or y, by j or g. 
 
 56. [$]. This sound is approxi- 
 mately equivalent to the sh in English 
 "show," but the lips are protruded. 
 
 It is represented: 
 usually by ch; 
 in a few bookish words, by sch. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 jaune 
 mangea 
 
 je 
 
 page 
 
 vache 
 schisme 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [30:n] 
 
 [ma3a] 
 
 M 
 
 [pa:3l 
 
 Ml 
 Kism] 
 
 Nasal Consonants 
 
 57. In the utterance of nasal consonants the breath 
 passes through both the mouth and the nose. In the mouth 
 the breath is first completely stopped and then suddenly 
 released, as in the explosive consonants. 
 
 58. [m]. This sound is represented: 
 by m or mm. 
 
 59. [n]. This sound is more dis- 
 tinctly dental than the English n. 
 
 It is represented: 
 by n or nn. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 mais 
 femme 
 
 nous 
 donner 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [me] 
 [fam] 
 
 [nu] 
 [done] 
 
 60. [n]. This sound is formed by combining the articu- 
 lation of [n] with that of [j]. The tip of the tongue rests 
 
CONSONANTS 
 
 21 
 
 against the lower teeth, while the blade of the tongue is 
 arched against the hard palate. 
 
 Care must be taken not to confuse this sound with the 
 phonetic combination [nj], occurring, for instance, in the 
 French panier [panje] and the English "union." 
 
 This sound is represented: 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 usually by gn; 
 
 digne 
 
 [dijil 
 
 in the word oignon and its derivatives, 
 by ign. 
 
 oignon 
 
 [ono] 
 
 Trilled Consonants 
 
 61. French has two r sounds, [r] and [r]. The sound [r] 
 is called lingual r, and the sound [r] uvular r. 
 
 In the formation of the sound [r] the tip of the tongue is 
 trilled by making it vibrate against the upper teeth. 
 
 In the formation of the sound [r] the tongue is drawn 
 back, and the uvula is made to vibrate against it. 
 
 Some Frenchmen employ only the sound [r], some only 
 the sound [r]. We use in this book only the symbol [r], but 
 suggest that the teacher, if he so prefers, direct his class to 
 regard the symbol [r] as representing the uvular r. 
 
 The r sounds are represented: 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBO] 
 
 usually by r or rr; 
 
 gare 
 arret 
 
 [ga:r] 
 [are] 
 
 in a few bookish words, by rh or rrh. 
 
 rhume 
 catarrhe 
 
 [rym] 
 [katair] 
 
 Lateral Consonant 
 
 62. [1]. This sound is articulated against the upper teeth, 
 the voice escaping at the sides of the tongue. 
 
 It differs notably from the English I. In the French [1] 
 the tip of the tongue rests against the upper teeth, and the 
 
22 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 back of the tongue is relatively low; in the English sound 
 the tip rests against the upper gums, and the back is raised 
 toward the soft palate. In certain English words — as 
 "call" — in which the I is final, the tip of the tongue drops 
 back during the utterance of the I: this must be avoided in 
 the utterance of the French sound. 
 
 This sound is represented: 
 by I or 11. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 pale 
 aller 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [pa:l] 
 [ale] 
 
 63. TABLE OF SOUNDS, USUAL SPELLINGS, AND 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 USUAL SPELLINGS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Vowels 
 
 
 
 
 Oral 
 
 
 
 
 Front 
 
 [i] 
 
 i,i 
 
 fini, ile 
 
 
 [e] 
 
 e, e, ai 
 
 et, ete, gai 
 
 
 [8] 
 
 e, e, e, ai, ai, ei 
 
 met, des, bete, 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 fait, faite, peine 
 
 
 [a] 
 
 a 
 
 patte 
 
 Back 
 
 [a] 
 
 a, a 
 
 pas, ame 
 
 
 [o] 
 
 o, au 
 
 fort, aurai 
 
 
 [o] 
 
 o, 6, au, eau 
 
 nos, tot, aux, beau 
 
 
 [u] 
 
 ou, ou 
 
 sou, gout 
 
 Mixed 
 
 [y] 
 
 u, u 
 
 une, du 
 
 
 [0] 
 
 eu, eu, ceu 
 
 feu, jeuner, nceud 
 
 
 [ce] 
 
 eu, oeu 
 
 peuple, sceur 
 
 
 M 
 
 e 
 
 de 
 
 Nasal 
 
 [e] 
 
 aim, ain, eim, ein, 
 
 faim, sainte, Reims, sein, 
 
 
 
 im, in, en 
 
 simple, vin, bien 
 
 
 [5] 
 
 am, an, em, en 
 
 camp, dans, temps, dent 
 
 
 [5] 
 
 om, on 
 
 dom, onze 
 
 
 [ce] 
 
 um, un, eun 
 
 parfum, un, jeun 
 
TABLE OF SOUNDS, USUAL SPELLINGS, EXAMPLES 23 
 
 Semiconsonants 
 
 [J] 
 
 y, i, 1, ill, il 
 
 yeux, bien, paien, 
 bataillon, betail 
 
 
 M 
 
 u 
 
 cuisine 
 
 
 [w] 
 
 ou 
 
 oui 
 
 Combinations of 
 semiconsonants 
 and vowels 
 
 [ij] 
 lii] 
 [qij] 
 [wa] 
 
 yi, ii, ill 
 illi 
 
 uy 
 oi, ot 
 
 payions, priions, pavilion 
 
 taillis 
 
 fuyard 
 
 foi, boite 
 
 
 [waj] 
 [wa] 
 
 oy 
 oi, ot 
 
 moyen 
 bois, cloitre 
 
 
 [we] 
 
 oin 
 
 soin 
 
 Consonants 
 
 
 
 
 Explosive 
 
 [b] 
 
 b, bb 
 
 bas, abbe* 
 
 
 [p] 
 [d] 
 
 P, PP 
 d, dd 
 
 pas, appeler 
 aide, addition 
 
 
 [t] 
 
 t, tt 
 
 ton, mette 
 
 Fricative 
 
 [g] 
 M 
 M 
 
 g$ gg, gu 
 c, cc, qu 
 
 V 
 
 aigu, aggraver, guide 
 lac, accuser, quand 
 seve 
 
 
 [13 
 
 f,ff 
 
 fine, effacer 
 
 
 [z] 
 
 z, s 
 
 dizaine, vase 
 
 
 [s] 
 
 s, ss, c, 9, sc, t 
 
 son, casse, facade, ceci, 
 scene, nation 
 
 
 [3] 
 
 ES3 
 
 J, ge, g 
 ch 
 
 jaune, mangea, page 
 vache 
 
 Nasal 
 
 [m] 
 
 m, mm 
 
 mais, femme 
 
 
 [n] 
 
 n, nn 
 
 nous, donner 
 
 Trilled 
 
 
 gn 
 r, rr 
 
 digne 
 gare, arret 
 
 Lateral 
 
 [1] 
 
 1,11 
 
 pale, aller 
 
 Combinations of 
 consonants 
 
 [gz] 
 [ks] 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 exiler 
 texte 
 
24 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 LETTERS AND SIGNS 
 
 64. Alphabet. The letters of the French alphabet are the 
 same as those of the English alphabet. The letter k, how- 
 ever, occurs only in bookish or foreign words, and the letter 
 w occurs only in foreign words: see sections 96 and 97. 
 
 The following table shows in the second and third columns the 
 regular names of the French letters and the pronunciation of those 
 names. In spelling, special identifying sounds are now used for most 
 of the consonant letters, instead of the regular names. These sounds 
 are given in the fourth column of the table. 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 NAMES 
 
 PRONUNCIATION OF NAMES 
 
 IDENTIFYING SOUNDS 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 [a] 
 
 
 b 
 
 be 
 
 [be] 
 
 [be] 
 
 c 
 
 ce- 
 
 [se] 
 
 M 
 
 d 
 
 de" 
 
 [de] 
 
 m 
 
 e 
 
 e 
 
 [e] 
 
 
 f 
 
 effe 
 
 [ef] 
 
 [fa] 
 
 g 
 
 ge 
 
 [3e] 
 
 [sa] 
 
 h 
 
 ache 
 
 EaS] 
 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 [i] 
 
 
 J 
 
 ji 
 
 [3i] 
 
 
 k 
 
 ka 
 
 [ka] 
 
 
 1 
 
 elle 
 
 [el] 
 
 M 
 
 m 
 
 emme 
 
 [em] 
 
 [ma] 
 
 n 
 
 enne 
 
 [en] 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 [o] 
 
 
 P 
 
 pe 
 
 [pe] 
 
 [pa] 
 
 q 
 
 ku or ke" 
 
 Iky], [ke] 
 
 Pra] 
 
 r 
 
 erre 
 
 [e:r] 
 
 [ro] 
 
 s 
 
 esse 
 
 [es] 
 
 
 t 
 
 te 
 
 [te] 
 
 M 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 [y] 
 
 
 V 
 
 ve 
 
 [ve] 
 
 w 
 
 w 
 
 double ve* 
 
 [dublove] 
 
 
 X 
 
 iks 
 
 [iks] 
 
 
 y 
 
 i grec 
 
 [igrek] 
 
 
 z 
 
 zede 
 
 [zed] 
 
 
LETTERS AND SIGNS 
 
 25 
 
 65. Accents. French has three 
 written accents, which are placed 
 over vowel-letters in certain words : 
 ', the acute accent; N , the grave; 
 and A , the circumflex. 
 
 The acute accent appears only 
 on e. The grave appears on a as 
 final; on e as initial or medial; and 
 on u in the word ou, " where." 
 The circumflex appears on all five 
 of the vowel-letters. 
 
 These accents do not denote 
 stress. In some cases they serve 
 to indicate the pronunciation of 
 the vowel-letter in question; in 
 some cases they serve to differen- 
 tiate words otherwise alike in spell- 
 ing; in some cases they serve no 
 present function. The letter e, for 
 example, has the sound [e], where- 
 as e has the sound [e]; du means 
 "of the," whereas du means " due." 
 
 The French names for the ac- 
 cents are accent aigu, [aksategy]; 
 accent grave, [aksagrai v] ; and accent 
 circonflexe, [aksasirkofleks]. 
 
 66. Diaeresis. The diaeresis, a 
 sign consisting of two dots close to- 
 gether, appears in certain words 
 on the letter i, usually to indicate 
 that the i is separate in pronuncia- 
 tion from the preceding vowel. It 
 is written arbitrarily in the words 
 iambe and iambique. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 ete 
 
 [ete] 
 
 la 
 
 [la] 
 
 es 
 
 [es] 
 
 scene 
 
 [se:n] 
 
 ou 
 
 [u] 
 
 age 
 
 [ai 3 ] 
 
 bete 
 
 [beit] 
 
 lie 
 
 [id] 
 
 cote 
 
 [ko:t] 
 
 du 
 
 [dy] 
 
 nai'f 
 
 coincidence 
 
 aieul 
 
 iambe 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [naif] 
 
 [koesidctis] 
 
 [ajcel] 
 
 [ja>t>] 
 
26 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 It appears also, in certain words, 
 on the letter e. It is written in the 
 word Noel to indicate that the e is Noel [noel] 
 
 separate in pronunciation from the 
 preceding o. It appears in certain 
 words on a final e preceded by gu, aigue [egy] 
 
 to indicate that the preceding u 
 is sounded (u in this ending is 
 generally silent: see section 91). 
 
 It appears also, with varying 
 function, in certain proper names: 
 see section 97. 
 
 The French name for the diaere- 
 sis is tre'ma, [trema]. 
 
 67. Cedilla. The cedilla, ^ , ap- facade [fasad] 
 pears under the letter c when the lecon [las5] 
 c designates the sound [s] before recu [rasy] 
 a, o, or u. 
 
 The French name for the cedilla 
 is cedille, [sediij]. 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 68. Double Consonant-Letters. A double consonant- 
 letter is, in most cases, pronounced as if it were a single 
 consonant-letter: that is, it represents a single sound. 
 Exceptions to this general statement will be noted for the 
 individual consonant-letters. 
 
 In many scientific words of Greek or Latin origin, how- 
 ever, double consonant-letters are held in utterance twice or 
 nearly twice as long as single consonant-letters; and in 
 formal speech a double consonant-letter that would under 
 ordinary conditions be pronounced as a single consonant- 
 letter may be held in utterance for twice or nearly twice the 
 normal period. 
 
letters: a 
 
 27 
 
 69. Final Consonant-Letters. Most consonant-letters, 
 when final, are silent. Final c, /, I, and q are however gen- 
 erally pronounced. Exceptions to these general statements 
 will be noted for the individual consonant-letters. 
 
 The addition of s to a noun or adjective, to indicate that 
 it is plural, does not alter the pronunciation of the word. In 
 a word which ends in the singular form with a silent con- 
 sonant-letter, that letter remains silent before the plural s; 
 and in a word which ends in the singular with a sounded 
 consonant-letter, that letter retains the same sound before 
 the plural s. 1 The word "final," as used in sections 71-95, 
 applies to consonant-letters immediately followed by plural 
 s, as well as to consonant-letters which are actually final. 
 
 70. A. The letter a is 
 pronounced as follows: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 When independent (that 
 is, when not "in combi- 
 nation," as specified be- 
 low) : 
 
 
 
 
 Without written ac- 
 cent: 
 
 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 [a] 
 
 bal 
 
 patte 
 
 tard 
 
 
 Before s, when the 
 s is before a vowel- 
 letter, or is final; 
 and in a few other 
 words: 
 
 [a] 
 
 Evasion 
 
 pas 
 
 ah 
 
 espace 
 
 damner 
 
 [evazjo] 
 
 [pa] 
 
 [a] 
 
 [espais] 
 
 [dane] 
 
 In the ending 
 -ation, and in a few 
 other words, usage 
 varies : 
 
 [a] or 
 
 nation 
 
 [nasjo] or 
 [nasjo] 
 
 1 There are three words which constitute exceptions to these state- 
 ments: boeuf [beef], "ox," plural besufs [bo]; <euf [cefj, "egg," plural 
 oeufs [0]; and os [os] "bone," plural os [o]. 
 
28 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Before checked m 
 or n (that is, m or n 
 before a consonant- 
 letter other than 
 m or n, or final: 
 see sections 83 and 
 84. Note that the 
 checked m or n is 
 itself silent) : 
 
 With grave accent: 
 
 With circumflex ac- 
 cent : 
 
 In general: 
 
 In past absolute 
 endings of the first 
 conjugation: 
 
 In combination: 
 
 ai is pronounced as 
 follows: 
 
 In general: 
 
 When final in verb 
 forms; in the word 
 gai and its deriva- 
 tives; and in the 
 words geaij sais, 
 sait, vais: 
 
 In the first sylla- 
 ble of those forms 
 of the verb faire 
 which begin fais-; 
 in the correspond- 
 ing forms of com- 
 pounds of faire; and 
 in the words /di- 
 sable and faiseur. 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 rai 
 
 [a] 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 ample 
 
 dans 
 
 plan 
 
 ame 
 donnames 
 
 [o] 
 
 aimais 
 
 essai 
 
 baie 
 
 ai 
 
 donnai 
 
 gai 
 
 faisant 
 faiseur 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [a:pl] 
 
 [da] 
 
 [pla] 
 
 a] 
 
 [aim] 
 [donam] 
 
 [eme] 
 
 [ese] 
 
 [be] 
 
 [e] 
 
 [done] 
 
 [ge] 
 
 [faza] 
 [fozceir] 
 
LETTERS : 
 
 A-B 
 
 2 
 
 Before checked m 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 [e] 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 faim 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 im 
 
 or n: 
 
 
 main 
 
 [me] 
 
 With a following 11 
 or final I: 
 
 [aj] 
 
 bataillon 
 travail 
 
 [batajo] 
 [travaij] 
 
 at: 
 
 [e] 
 
 maitre 
 
 [meitr] 
 
 ao before checked n: 
 
 [a] 
 
 paon 
 
 [pa] 
 
 aou: 
 
 [u] 
 
 aout 
 
 M 
 
 an (for eau see below) : 
 
 
 
 
 When not the last 
 vowel sound of a 
 word: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 N 
 
 aurai 
 
 [ore] 
 
 In some words: 
 
 [o] 
 
 aucun 
 
 [okce] 
 
 When the last 
 vowel sound : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [o] 
 
 faux 
 
 [fo] 
 
 Before r; and in a 
 few other words: 
 
 M 
 
 Laure 
 Paul 
 
 [loir] 
 [pol] 
 
 ay: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [ej] 
 
 payer 
 
 [peje] 
 
 In the word paye- 
 ment: 
 
 M 
 
 payement 
 
 [pema] 
 
 In the word abbaye; 
 and in the word 
 pays and its deriva- 
 tives: 
 
 [ei] or 
 [eji] 
 
 pays 
 
 [pei] or [peji; 
 
 eau: 
 
 [o] 
 
 beau 
 
 [bo] 
 
 71. B. 
 
 
 
 
 Initial or medial: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [b] 
 
 bas 
 abbe 
 
 [ba] 
 [abe] 
 
 29 
 
30 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Before s or t: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 [p] 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 observer 
 obtient 
 
 SYMBOL 
 
 [opserve] 
 [optje] 
 
 Final: 
 
 silent 
 
 plomb 
 radoub 
 
 [plo] 
 [radu] 
 
 12, C (without ce- 
 dilla). 
 
 
 
 
 Single (that is, not doub- 
 le, and not "in combi- 
 nation"): 
 
 
 
 
 Initial or medial: 
 
 
 
 
 Before a, o, u, or a 
 consonant-letter: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 M 
 
 caisse 
 creme 
 contact 
 cure 
 
 [keis] 
 [kreim] 
 [kotakt] 
 [kyir] ' 
 
 In the words 
 second, anecdote, 
 and their deriva- 
 tives: 
 
 [g] 
 
 second 
 anecdote 
 
 [sago] 
 [anegdot] 
 
 In the words lacs 
 ("snare"), as- 
 pect, drconspect 
 (the last c), res- 
 pect, distinct, ins- 
 tinct, succinct (the 
 last c); and in 
 the verb form 
 
 silent 
 
 lacs 
 
 aspect 
 
 vaincs 
 
 [la] 
 [aspe] 
 
 [V8] 
 
 vaincs: 
 
 
 
 
 Before e, i, or y: 
 
 W 
 
 ce 
 
 acide 
 
 cygne 
 
 M 
 
 [asid] 
 [sin] 
 
 Final: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 M 
 
 lac 
 sec 
 
 [lak] 
 [sek] 
 
letters: 
 
 B-C 
 
 
 After n:' 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 silent 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 blanc 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [bia] 
 
 But finale is some- 
 times sounded in 
 the word done, 
 when spoken with 
 emphasis. 
 
 
 
 
 In the words accroc, 
 broc, caoutchouc, 
 clerc, crie, croc, es- 
 croc, estomae, marc, 
 tabae: 
 
 silent 
 
 accroc 
 
 [akro] 
 
 Final c is sound- 
 ed, however, in 
 the combinations 
 de brie et de brae 
 and crie crac: 
 
 M 
 
 eric crac 
 
 [krikkrak 
 
 Double: 
 
 
 
 
 Before a, o, u, or a 
 consonant-letter : 
 
 M 
 
 accord 
 
 [akoir] 
 
 Before e or i: 
 
 [ks] 
 
 acces 
 
 [akse] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 eh (for sch see below) : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 In words of Greek 
 derivation : 
 
 ra 
 
 champ 
 acheter 
 
 [aSte] 
 
 Before a, o, u, or 
 a consonant-let- 
 ter: 
 
 M 
 
 6cho 
 
 archange 
 
 chretien 
 
 [eko] 
 
 [arkai3] 
 
 [kretje] 
 
 Before e, i, or y: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 19 
 
 architecte 
 
 [ar$itekt] 
 
 In a few words : 
 
 [k] 
 
 orchestre 
 archetype 
 
 [orkestr] 
 [arketip] 
 
 cq: 
 
 M 
 
 acquerir 
 
 [akeriir] 
 
 31 
 
32 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 sc (for sch see below) : 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 Before a, o, u, or a 
 consonant-letter : 
 
 [sk] 
 
 scandale 
 
 [skadal] 
 
 Before e, i, or y: 
 
 [s] 
 
 scene 
 
 [se:n] 
 
 sch: 
 
 a 
 
 schisme 
 
 Rism] 
 
 73. Q: 
 
 74. D. 
 
 W 
 
 facade 
 lecon 
 
 [fasad] 
 [teso] 
 
 Initial or medial: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [d] 
 
 dent 
 fagade 
 
 [da] 
 [fasad] 
 
 Before final s in verb 
 forms; and in the 
 words fonds smdpoids: 
 
 silent 
 
 assieds 
 
 perds 
 
 poids 
 
 [asje] 
 [peir] 
 [pwa] 
 
 Final: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 silent 
 
 pied 
 nord 
 
 [pje] 
 [no:r] 
 
 In the word svd: 
 
 [d] 
 
 sud 
 
 [syd] 
 
 In liaison (see section 
 105): 
 
 [t] 
 
 grand 
 homme 
 
 [gratom] 
 
 75. E. 
 
 
 
 
 Independent: 
 
 
 
 
 Without written ac- 
 cent or diseresis: 
 
 
 
 
 Initial: 
 
 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 [e] 
 
 elle 
 esquisse 
 
 [el] 
 [eskis] 
 
 In words begin- 
 ning eff-, essa-, 
 esso-, essu-; in the 
 words eh and et; 
 and in some book- 
 ish words : 
 
 W 
 
 effet 
 essor 
 et 
 
 ecclesias- 
 tique 
 
 [efe] 
 
 [esoir] 
 
 [e] 
 
 [eklezjastik] 
 
LETTERS I 
 
 C-E 
 
 
 Before m or n 
 (whether checked 
 or not) : 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOl 
 
 In general : 
 
 m 
 
 embarras 
 emmener 
 ennui 
 enivrer 
 
 [abara] 
 [amne] 
 [anuj] 
 [anivre] 
 
 In the word en- 
 
 [c] 
 
 ennemi 
 
 [enmi] 
 
 nemi: 
 
 
 
 
 When denasal- 
 ized before n in 
 liaison (see sec- 
 tion 106) : 
 
 [a] 
 
 en avant 
 
 [anava] 
 
 Not initial: 
 
 
 
 
 Before another 
 letter in the same 
 syllable: 1 
 
 
 
 
 Before a conso- 
 nant-letter oth- 
 er than checked 
 
 
 
 
 m or n: 
 
 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 W 
 
 cette 
 
 aspect 
 
 avec 
 
 [set] 
 
 [aspe] 
 
 [avek] 
 
 In the initial 
 combination 
 desc-: 
 
 [e] 
 
 descendre 
 
 [desaidr 
 
 33 
 
 1 Note on Syllabic Division. The pronunciation of e, when not 
 initial, differs according as the e is oris not at the end of a syllable 
 when the word is divided as in spelling. The rules for this division are 
 given in full in section 99. In general: a single medial consonant- 
 letter goes with the following vowel-letter (except that x goes with a 
 preceding vowel-letter) ; the groups ch, ph, th, gn, and all groups of two 
 consonant-letters of which the second is I or r (except 11, rr, Ir, rl) go 
 with the following vowel-letter; all other groups of consonant-letters 
 (including double consonant-letters) are divided. 
 
34 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 In the initial 
 combination 
 dess-: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBO 
 
 In general : 
 
 [e] 
 
 dessin 
 
 [dese] 
 
 In the 
 words des- 
 sous and 
 dessus: 
 
 b\ 
 
 dessous 
 
 [dasu] 
 
 In the initial 
 combination 
 
 
 
 
 ress-: 
 
 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 [a] 
 
 ressentir 
 
 [rosatiir] 
 
 In the 
 words res- 
 
 [e] 
 
 ressui 
 
 [resqi] 
 
 suiy res- 
 
 
 
 
 suyer, res- 
 susciter: 
 
 
 • 
 
 
 Before mm, 
 mn, or nn in 
 adverbs in 
 -emment and 
 a few other 
 words : 
 
 [a] 
 
 recemment 
 
 femme 
 
 hennir 
 
 [resama] 
 
 [fam] 
 
 [aniir] 
 
 Before final 
 d, ds, or z; be- 
 fore final r or 
 rs when the r 
 is silent (see 
 section 88) ; 
 and in the 
 word clef: 
 
 [e] 
 
 pied 
 
 assieds 
 
 nez 
 
 donner 
 
 volontiers 
 
 clef 
 
 [pje] 
 
 [asje] 
 
 [ne] 
 
 [done] 
 
 [volotje] 
 
 [kle] 
 
 Before finals: 
 
 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 silent 
 
 pattes 
 
 [pat] 
 
 In mono- 
 syllables: 
 
 [e] 
 
 les 
 
 [lei 
 
letters: e 
 
 35 
 
 Before checked 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 m: 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [a] 
 
 In a few book- 
 ish words : 
 
 [e] 
 
 Before checked 
 
 
 n: 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [a] 
 
 After e, i, or 
 
 
 y: 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 [6] 
 
 In the 
 noun and 
 adjective 
 e nd ing s 
 -4ent and 
 
 [a] 
 
 -ience: 
 
 
 When de- 
 nasalized 
 before n in 
 liaison : 
 
 [8] 
 
 In a few book- 
 ish words : 
 
 m 
 
 In the verb 
 ending -ent: 
 
 silent 
 
 Between g and 
 a vowel-letter; 
 and in the 
 names Jean and 
 Jeanne: 
 
 silent 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 temple 
 Luxembourg 
 
 sempiternel 
 
 dent 
 essentiel 
 
 europ£en 
 
 bien 
 
 moyen 
 
 patient 
 
 bien aim£e 
 
 examen 
 
 donnent 
 
 mangea 
 Jean 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [taipl] 
 [lyksabuir] 
 
 [sepiternel] 
 
 [da] 
 
 [esasjel] 
 
 [ceropee] 
 
 [bje] 
 
 [mwaje] 
 
 [pasja] 
 
 [bjeneme] 
 
 [egzame] 
 [don] 
 
 [ma3a] 
 
36 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 At the end of a 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 syllable: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 silent 
 
 a demi 
 
 [admi] 
 
 
 
 la f enetre 
 
 [lafneitr] 
 
 
 
 un petit 
 
 [oepti- 
 
 
 
 garcon 
 
 garso] 
 
 
 
 amusement 
 
 [amyzma] 
 
 
 
 donnerai 
 
 [danre] 
 
 
 
 amener 
 
 [amne] 
 
 
 
 enlever 
 
 [alve] 
 
 
 
 patte 
 
 [pat] 
 
 
 
 vie 
 
 [vi] 
 
 
 
 vous le 
 
 [vul- 
 
 
 
 voyez 
 
 vwaje] 
 
 
 
 coup de 
 
 [kudva] 
 
 
 
 vent 
 
 
 In the follow- 
 
 [8] 
 
 
 
 ing cases the e 
 
 
 
 
 is normally pro- 
 
 
 
 
 nounced as [a] : 
 
 
 
 
 At the be- 
 
 
 Levez-la 
 
 [tavela] 
 
 ginning of a 
 
 
 Ceci est bon 
 
 [sasiebo] 
 
 phrase : 
 
 
 Le cheval 
 est tombe 
 
 [tajvaletobe] 
 
 In an initial 
 
 
 brebis 
 
 [brobi] 
 
 or medial syl- 
 
 
 une fen^tre 
 
 [ynfaneitr] 
 
 lable, when 
 
 
 une petite 
 
 [ynpatitfiij] 
 
 preceded by 
 
 
 fille 
 
 
 two conso- 
 
 
 il vient de 
 
 [ilvjedbve] 
 
 nant sounds : 
 
 
 lever 
 
 
 In an initial 
 
 
 relier 
 
 [ralje] 
 
 or medial 
 
 
 atelier 
 
 [atalje] 
 
 syllable, be- 
 
 
 donnerions 
 
 [donarjo] 
 
 fore li or ri 
 
 
 
 
 representing 
 
 
 
 
 the sounds 
 
 
 
 
 W] or [rj]: 
 
 
 
 
letters: e 
 
 37 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 In an ini- 
 tial or me- 
 dial syllable, 
 
 when the 
 
 next syllable 
 
 ends in an 
 
 unaccented e: 
 
 In future or 
 
 past future 
 
 endings after 
 
 the sound [j]: 
 
 In le at the 
 
 end of an 
 
 imperative 
 
 phrase : ! 
 Furthermore, 
 an e which is 
 normally silent 
 may be pro- 
 nounced as [a] 
 when for any 
 reason, gram- 
 matical or sty- 
 listic, a word is 
 uttered excep- 
 tionally slowly; 
 as for instance, 
 when the word 
 itself is an object 
 of discussion: 2 
 
 1 An e which is normally pronounced [a] tends to become [ce] or 
 even [0] if for any reason it is uttered with special stress: Donnez-le, je 
 vous dis! [doneloe 3avudi], 
 
 2 In the formal reading of poetry an e which would in prose be silent is 
 pronounced [a] unless it immediately precedes or follows a vowel sound : 
 
 Sombres jours! l'empereur revenait lentement. 
 [so:bro3u:r! laparoeir ravane latama.] 
 At the end of a line the e is sometimes pronounced even when it fol- 
 lows a vowel sound: France ador^e! [fra:sadorea]. 
 
 In popular poetry, however, such an e often remains silent: II 6tait 
 une bergere, [iletetynber3esra]. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 devenir 
 redevenir 
 
 payerai 
 cueillerai 
 
 regardez-le 
 
 le pronom 
 
 le verbe 
 
 1 lever ' 
 trois syl- 
 
 labes: fe- 
 
 ne-tre 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [davniir] 
 [radavniir] 
 
 [pejare] 
 [kcejare] 
 
 [ragardela] 
 
 [laprono 39] 
 
 [laverb lave] 
 
 [trwasilab 
 fa ne tra] 
 
38 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 When there is 
 
 
 si je te le 
 
 [si3taldi] 
 
 a succession of 
 
 
 dis 
 
 
 monosyllables 
 
 
 c'est que je 
 
 [sek3onsepa] 
 
 ending in e, the 
 
 
 ne sais pas 
 
 
 second, as a rule, 
 
 
 il parlait de 
 
 [ilparle do- 
 
 is pronounced 
 
 
 ce que 
 
 skavusave] 
 
 as [o]. But ce 
 
 
 vous savez 
 
 
 que is almost 
 
 
 
 
 always pro- 
 
 
 on me le 
 
 [omaldon] 
 
 nounced [ska]; 
 
 
 donne 
 
 
 and le and ne 
 
 
 si je ne te le 
 
 [si3ontol- 
 
 show a ten- 
 
 
 dis pas 
 
 dipa] 
 
 dency to drop 
 
 
 
 
 the e whenever 
 
 
 
 
 preceded by a 
 
 
 
 
 monosyllable 
 
 
 
 
 ending in e: 
 
 
 
 
 Before y: 
 
 [e] 
 
 grasseyer 
 
 [graseje] 
 
 With acute accent: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [el 
 
 et6 
 
 [ete] 
 
 Before -je: 
 
 [e] 
 
 donne-je 
 
 [done:3] 
 
 With grave accent: 
 
 [e] 
 
 m&re 
 
 [meir] 
 
 With circumflex ac- 
 
 [e] 
 
 bete 
 
 [beit] 
 
 cent : 
 
 
 
 
 With diaeresis: 
 
 
 
 
 In the word Noel: 
 
 [e] 
 
 Noel 
 
 [noel] 
 
 In the ending -gue: 
 
 silent 
 
 aigue 
 
 [egy] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 eau: see section 70. 
 
 
 
 
 ei: 
 
 In general: 
 
 [e] 
 
 reine 
 
 [rein] 
 
 Before checked m 
 
 m 
 
 Reims 
 
 [re:s] 
 
 or n: 
 
 
 sein 
 
 m 
 
 With a following 
 
 [ej] 
 
 abeille 
 
 [abeij] 
 
 11 or final I: 
 
 
 soleil 
 
 [soleij] 
 
LETTERS 
 
 : e 
 
 
 eu (for ceu see below) : 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOL! 
 
 In general: 
 
 [ce] 
 
 neuf 
 meurt 
 
 [ncef] 
 [mceir] 
 
 Before s or a; fol- 
 lowed by a vowel- 
 letter; before t; be- 
 fore a vowel-letter; 
 or as the last sound 
 of a word: 
 
 M 
 
 creuse 
 deuxieme 
 bleuatre 
 bleu 
 neuf sous 
 
 [kr0:z] 
 [d0zjem] 
 [bl0a:tr] 
 [bl0] 
 [n0 su] 
 
 Before checked m 
 
 m 
 
 jeun 
 
 [3ce] 
 
 or n: 
 
 
 
 
 In forms of the verb 
 
 [y] 
 
 eut 
 
 [y] 
 
 avoir: 
 
 
 
 
 eu: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [0] 
 
 jeuner 
 
 [30ne] 
 
 In forms of the verb 
 
 [y] 
 
 eumes 
 
 [ym] 
 
 avoir: 
 
 
 
 
 ce (for ozu see be- 
 low): 
 
 
 
 
 Before medial ill or 
 final il: 
 
 [ce] 
 
 ceillet 
 ceil 
 
 [ceje] 
 [ceij] 
 
 In the word moelle 
 and its derivatives: 
 
 H 
 
 moelle 
 
 [mwal] 
 
 In a few bookish 
 words, as initial : 
 
 [e] 
 
 cedipe 
 
 [edip] 
 
 ot: 
 
 [wa] or 
 [wa] 
 
 poele 
 
 [pwail] or 
 [pwail] 
 
 ceu: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 As the last sound 
 of a word: 
 
 [ce] 
 M 
 
 ceuf 
 sceur 
 ceufs 
 vceu 
 
 [cef] 
 [sceir] 
 
 M 
 [V0] 
 
 ue after c or g and 
 before medial ill or 
 final il: 
 
 [ce] 
 
 cueillir 
 orgueil 
 
 [kcejiir] 
 [orgceij] 
 
 39 
 
40 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 76. F. 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOL 
 
 Initial or medial : 
 Final: 
 
 [f] 
 
 fine 
 efface 
 
 [fin] 
 
 [efas] 
 
 In general: 
 
 [f] 
 
 neuf 
 bceuf 
 
 [ncef] 
 [beef] 
 
 In the words cerf, nerf, 
 clef; in the plurals 
 boeufs and oeufs; in 
 the combination chef- 
 d'oeuvre; and in the 
 numeral neuf when it 
 modifies grammati- 
 cally a following noun 
 beginning with a con- 
 sonant sound: 
 
 silent 
 
 cerf 
 bceufs 
 chef- 
 d'oeuvre 
 neuf livres 
 
 [seir] 
 
 [b0] 
 
 Bedceivr] 
 
 [n0li:vr] 
 
 In the phrases neuf 
 ans and neuf heures: 
 
 W 
 
 neuf heures 
 
 [ncevceir] 
 
 77. G. 
 
 
 
 
 Single : 
 
 
 
 
 Initial or medial: 
 
 
 
 
 Before a, o, or u: 
 
 [g] 
 
 gant 
 guide 
 
 [g&] 
 feid] 
 
 Before e, i, or y: 
 
 [3] 
 
 gens 
 age 
 
 [ai 3 ] 
 
 Before a consonant- 
 letter : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [g] 
 
 gros 
 augmenter 
 
 [gro] 
 [ogmate] 
 
 In the words doigt 
 and vingt and 
 their derivatives: 
 
 silent 
 
 doigt 
 vingt 
 
 [dwa] 
 [ve] 
 
 Final: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 In liaison: 
 
 silent 
 
 poing 
 sang impur 
 
 [pwe] 
 
 [sakepyir 
 
letters: 
 
 F-H 
 
 
 Double: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 Before e: 
 
 fe] 
 
 suggerer 
 
 [syg3ere] 
 
 Before a consonant- 
 
 [g] 
 
 aggraver 
 
 [agrave] 
 
 letter : 
 
 
 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 gn: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 w 
 
 digne 
 
 [din] 
 
 
 
 oignon 
 
 [ono] 
 
 In a few bookish 
 
 [gn] 
 
 ignition 
 
 [ignisjo] 
 
 words: 
 
 
 
 
 78. H. 
 
 
 
 
 Independent: 
 
 silent 
 
 homme 
 
 [om] 
 
 
 
 hero 
 
 [ero] 
 
 
 
 T homme 
 
 [lorn] 
 
 
 
 les hommes 
 
 [lezom] 
 
 
 
 theatre 
 
 [teaitr] 
 
 In some words initial 
 
 
 le he>o 
 
 [taero] 
 
 h prevents liaison and 
 
 
 des heros 
 
 [deero] 
 
 elision (see section 
 
 
 
 
 110). The h in such 
 
 
 
 
 words is called pre- 
 
 
 
 
 ventive h or aspirate h. 
 
 
 
 
 This h is normally si- 
 
 
 je le hais 
 
 [3olohe] 
 
 lent; but in the expres- 
 
 
 c'est une 
 
 [setyn- 
 
 sion of emotion it may 
 
 
 honte ! 
 
 hoit] 
 
 be uttered as an aspi- 
 
 
 
 
 rate, like the English h. 
 
 
 
 
 In order to determine 
 
 
 
 
 whether initial h in a 
 
 
 
 
 given word is or is not 
 
 
 
 
 preventive, one must 
 
 
 
 
 consult a vocabulary 
 
 
 
 
 or dictionary in which 
 
 
 
 
 h when preventive is 
 
 
 
 
 marked with a special 
 
 
 
 
 sign— usually a star,*ft, 
 
 
 
 
 or an apostrophe, l h. 
 
 
 
 
 41 
 
42 A HANDBOOK 
 
 OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 In combination: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOI 
 
 ch: see section 72. 
 
 
 
 
 ph: 
 
 [f] 
 
 philosophe 
 
 [fitozof] 
 
 sch: see section 72. 
 
 
 
 
 79. I. 
 
 
 
 
 Independent: 
 
 
 
 
 Without written ac- 
 cent, with or without 
 diaeresis : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 Before a vowel 
 sound: 
 
 [i] 
 
 fini 
 naif 
 
 [fini] 
 [naifl 
 
 In general: 
 
 [J] 
 
 pied 
 aieul 
 
 [pje] 
 [ajcel] 
 
 After I or r pre- 
 ceded by a con- 
 sonant-letter : 
 
 [i] 
 
 client 
 
 [klia] 
 
 Before checked m 
 or n: 
 
 [e] 
 
 vin 
 coi'ncider 
 
 [ve] t 
 [koeside] 
 
 With circumflex ac- 
 cent: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [i] 
 
 lie 
 
 [w] 
 
 Before checked n: 
 
 [e] 
 
 vinmes 
 
 [ve:m] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 ai and at: see section 
 70. 
 
 
 
 
 ei: see section 75. 
 
 
 
 
 ill medial: 
 
 
 
 
 After a vowel 
 sound: 
 
 [J] 
 
 bataillon 
 
 [batajo] 
 
 After a semicon- 
 sonant sound: 
 
 [ij] 
 
 cuiller 
 
 [kqijeir] 
 
letters: h-i 
 
 43 
 
 After a consonant 
 sound: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In a few words, 
 in which the 11 
 represents a Lat- 
 in 11: 
 
 il final : 
 
 After a vowel 
 sound: 
 
 With a preceding o: 
 
 After a consonant 
 sound: 
 
 In some words: 
 
 In some words: 
 
 In the words gre- 
 sil and mil ("mil- 
 let"): 
 
 ox : 
 
 In general: 
 
 After r; and in a 
 few other words: 
 
 Before checked m 
 or n: 
 
 In the word oignon 
 and its derivatives: 
 
 ox : 
 
 In general: 
 After r: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 [ij] 
 [il] 
 
 [J] 
 [wal] 
 
 [ilj 
 
 [i] 
 [ij] 
 
 [wa] 
 
 [wo] 1 
 
 [we] 
 
 [o] 
 
 [wa] 
 [wal 1 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 fille 
 
 mille 
 ville 
 village 
 
 travail 
 
 poil 
 
 fil 
 il 
 avril 
 
 gentil 
 sourcil 
 
 gresil 
 
 moi 
 poil 
 
 croix 
 bois 
 
 loin 
 
 oignon 
 
 boite 
 croitre 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 1 Some Frenchmen use the sound-combination [wa] 
 others use the sound-combination [wa]. 
 
 [fi.j] 
 
 [mil] 
 [vil] 
 [vila:3] 
 
 [travaij] 
 [pwal] 
 
 [fil] 
 
 [il] 
 [avril] 
 
 feati] 
 [sursi] 
 
 [grezij] 
 
 [mwa] 
 [pwal] 
 
 [krwa] 
 [bwa] 
 
 [lwe] 
 [ojio] 
 
 [bwait] 
 [krwaitr] 
 in cases in which 
 
44 A HANDBOOK 
 
 OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 80. J: 
 
 fe] 
 
 Anjou 
 
 [5a] 
 
 feu] 
 
 81. K: 
 
 M 
 
 kilometre 
 
 [kilometr] 
 
 82. L. 
 
 
 
 
 Single: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [1] 
 
 la 
 
 culte 
 
 tel 
 
 [la] 
 [kylt] 
 
 [tel] 
 
 In the word gentil- 
 homme: 
 
 [j] 
 
 gentil- 
 homme 
 
 [3atijom] 
 
 In the words cul, soul, 
 fils, pouls: 
 
 silent 
 
 soul 
 fils 
 
 [su] 
 [fis] 
 
 In the word linceul: 
 
 [11 or 
 ft] 
 
 linceul 
 
 [lescel] or 
 [lesceij] 
 
 Double: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [1] 
 
 aller 
 balle 
 
 [ale] 
 [bal] 
 
 In initial ill-; and 
 in a few bookish 
 words : 
 
 [11] 
 
 illusion 
 alliteration 
 
 [illyzjS] 
 [alliterasjo] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 ill medial and il final : 
 see section 79. 
 
 
 
 
 83. M. 
 
 
 
 
 Single: 
 
 
 
 
 Before a vowel- 
 letter: 
 
 [m] 
 
 mais 
 
 [me] 
 
 Before a consonant- 
 letter other than n: 
 
 silent 
 
 temps 
 
 [ta] 
 
letters: j-n 
 
 45 
 
 Before n: 
 In general : 
 
 In the word au- 
 tomne; and in the 
 word damner and 
 its derivatives: 
 
 Double : 
 In general: 
 
 In initial imm-\ 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 [m] 
 
 silent 
 
 m 
 
 [mm] 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 amnistie 
 automnal 
 
 automne 
 damner 
 
 femme 
 emmener 
 
 imminent 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [amnisti] 
 [otomnal] 
 
 [oton] 
 [dane] 
 
 [fam] 
 [amne] 
 
 [imminal 
 
 Note. The vowel before a checked m (that is, m before a consonant- 
 letter other than m or n, or final) is nasal. Initial e is also nasal in 
 emm-. 
 
 84. N. 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYME 
 
 Single : 
 
 
 
 
 Before a vowel-letter: 
 
 [n] 
 
 amene 
 
 [amein' 
 
 Before a consonant- 
 letter; or final: 
 
 silent 
 
 chanter 
 bien 
 
 [Sate] 
 [bje] 
 
 Double : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [n] 
 
 donner 
 
 [done] 
 
 In initial inn-; and in 
 a few bookish words : 
 
 [nn] 
 
 inne 
 annales 
 
 [inne] 
 [annal] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 gn: see section 77. 
 
 
 
 
 Note. The vowel before a checked n (that is, n before a consonant- 
 letter other than n, or final) is nasal, except in final -ent in verbs, 
 in the word monsieur, and when denasalized in liaison: see section 104. 
 Initial e is also nasal in the words enamourer, enivrer, enorgueillir, en- 
 noblir, ennui, and their derivatives, 
 
46 A HANDBOOK 
 
 85. O. 
 
 Independent: 
 
 Without written ac- 
 cent: 
 
 In general: 
 
 Before s followed 
 by a vowel-letter; 
 before the ending 
 -lion; and in a few 
 other words: 
 
 As the last sound 
 of a word: 
 
 Before checked m 
 or n: 
 
 In general: 
 
 When denasal- 
 ized before n in 
 liaison: 
 
 In the word mon- 
 sieur: 
 
 With circumflex ac- 
 cent: 
 
 In general : 
 
 In the words hopi- 
 tal and hotel: 
 
 In combination: 
 
 ao y aou: see section 70. 
 
 03, ot, ceu: see section 
 75. 
 
 oi t oi: see section 79. 
 
 OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 [o] 
 
 [3J 
 M 
 
 [9] 
 [O] 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 fol 
 mort 
 
 rose 
 
 devotion 
 
 tome 
 
 mot 
 
 mon 
 mon ami 
 
 monsieur 
 
 tot 
 cote 
 
 hotel 
 
 symbols 
 
 [fol] 
 
 [moir] 
 
 [ro:z] 
 
 [devosjo] 
 
 [toim] 
 
 [mo] 
 
 [mo] 
 [monami] 
 
 [mosj0] 
 
 [to] 
 [koit] 
 
 [otel] 
 
LETTERS : 
 
 O-P 
 
 
 ou: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 Before a consonant 
 
 [u] 
 
 mou 
 
 [mu] 
 
 sound; or as the 
 
 
 tousse 
 
 [tus] 
 
 last sound of a 
 
 
 
 
 word: 
 
 
 
 
 Before a vowel 
 
 
 
 
 sound: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [wj 
 
 oui 
 
 [wi] 
 
 
 
 louange 
 
 [lwai3] 
 
 After I or r pre- 
 
 N 
 
 clouer 
 
 [klue] 
 
 ceded by a con- 
 
 
 
 
 sonant-letter: 
 
 
 
 
 ou: 
 
 [u] 
 
 ou 
 
 N 
 
 ou: 
 
 [u] 
 
 gout 
 
 [gu] 
 
 oy: 
 
 [waj] 
 
 moyen 
 
 [mwaje] 
 
 86. P. 
 
 
 
 
 Independent : 
 
 
 
 
 } Initial or medial : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [p] 
 
 pas 
 
 [pa] 
 
 
 
 appeler 
 
 [aple] 
 
 
 
 psaume 
 
 [psoim] 
 
 In the words 
 
 silent 
 
 compte 
 
 [ko:t] 
 
 compte, dompter, 
 
 
 
 
 exempt, prompt (the 
 
 
 
 
 second p), sculpter, 
 
 
 
 
 sept, and their de- 
 
 
 
 
 rivatives; in bap- 
 
 
 
 
 teme and related 
 
 
 
 
 words; in the words 
 
 
 
 
 corps and temps; 
 
 
 
 
 and in the verb 
 
 
 
 
 forms romps and 
 
 
 
 
 rompt: 
 
 
 
 
 47 
 
48 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Final: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 In general : 
 
 silent 
 
 coup 
 
 [ku] 
 
 In the words cap 
 and cep: 
 
 [p] 
 
 cap 
 
 [kap] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 ph: see section 78. 
 
 
 
 
 87. Q. 
 
 
 
 
 Independent: 
 
 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 M 
 
 que 
 coq 
 
 [kok] 
 
 In the numeral cinq, 
 when it modifies 
 grammatically a fol- 
 lowing noun begin- 
 ning with a consonant 
 sound: 
 
 silent 
 
 cinq livres 
 
 [seli: vr] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 cq: see section 72. 
 
 
 
 
 88. R. 
 
 
 
 
 Single: 
 
 
 
 
 In general : 
 
 In final -er in words 
 of more than one syl- 
 lable: 
 
 [r] 
 
 rue 
 
 rhume 
 
 cher 
 
 [ry] 
 
 [rym] 
 Bnr] 
 
 In general: 
 
 silent 
 
 donner 
 
 [done] 
 
 In the words amer, 
 cuiller, enfer, ether, 
 hiver: 
 
 M 
 
 amer 
 
 [ameir] 
 
 In the words mon- 
 sieur, messieurs, volon- 
 tiers: 
 
 silent 
 
 monsieur 
 messieurs 
 
 [masj0] 
 [mesj0] 
 
letters: p-s 
 
 49 
 
 Double: 
 In general: 
 
 In initial irr-; in hor- 
 reur, terreur, and re- 
 lated words; and in 
 words distinguished 
 only by the double r 
 from other words of 
 different meaning: 
 
 89. S. 
 
 Independent : 
 Initial : 
 Medial: 
 In general: 
 
 Between vowel-let- 
 ters: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In compound 
 words in which 
 the s begins the 
 second part of 
 the word: 
 
 In trans- before a 
 vowel-letter: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In the words 
 transir and tran- 
 sept: 
 
 In asbeste, balsa- 
 mine, presbyte, and 
 related words : 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 W 
 frrl 
 
 M 
 
 [■] 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 arreter 
 arrhes 
 
 irrational 
 horrible 
 mourrais 
 (c/. mourais 
 
 son 
 
 tension 
 
 oser 
 vase 
 
 antisep- 
 
 tique 
 vraisem- 
 
 blable 
 
 transatlan- 
 tique 
 
 transir 
 
 asbeste 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [arete] 
 [air] 
 
 [irrasjonal] 
 [orribl] 
 [murre] 
 [mure]) 
 
 [83] 
 
 [tasjo] 
 
 [oze] 
 [vaiz] 
 
 [atiseptik] 
 [vresablabl] 
 
 [trazatlatik] 
 [trasiir] 
 
 [azbest] 
 
50 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 In the verb form est; 
 and in the words 
 lesquels, mesdames, 
 mesdemoiselles: 
 
 Final: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In the words aloes, 
 as, atlas, bis, cassis, 
 cens, es, fils, helas, 
 ibis, iris, jadis, laps, 
 lis (the noun), ma'is, 
 mars, metis, mceurs, 
 oasis, os (the sin- 
 gular), ours, pathos, 
 plus (when emphat- 
 ic, when meaning 
 "plus," and in the 
 combinations en 
 plus and plus-que- 
 parfait), relaps, rhi- 
 noceros, sens, ensus, 
 tous (when emphat- 
 ic, when a pronoun, 
 and when not im- 
 mediately preced- 
 ing a noun), us, vis 
 (the noun) : 
 
 But final s is 
 silent in the 
 combinations 
 fleur-de-lis and 
 sens commun; 
 and sometimes in 
 the words mceurs 
 and us. 
 
 In liaison: 
 
 silent 
 
 silent 
 
 [s] 
 
 silent 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 est 
 lesquels 
 
 mes 
 
 [me] 
 
 pattes 
 
 [pat] 
 
 gens 
 
 l&] 
 
 aloes 
 
 [aloeis] 
 
 fils 
 
 [fis] 
 
 OS 
 
 [os] 
 
 fleur-de-lis 
 
 mes amis 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [e] 
 
 [lekel] 
 
 [flcerdoli] 
 
 [mezami] 
 
letters: s-t 
 
 51 
 
 In combination: 
 sc, sch: see section 72. 
 
 90. T. 
 
 Initial : 
 
 Medial: 
 In general: 
 
 Before *, followed by a 
 vowel: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In the endings -tie, 
 -tien, -tier, -tiers, 
 -Heme; and in the 
 ending -tie after a 
 consonant: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In the words 
 balbutier, differen- 
 tier, initier, trans- 
 substantier, inep- 
 tie, inertie: 
 After s or x; when 
 the t is the last letter 
 of a verb stem; and 
 in the words gali- 
 matias and etioler: 
 
 In the words asthme 
 and isthme; and in the 
 verb forms bats, mets, 
 vets: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 [t] 
 
 [t] 
 
 [t] 
 
 [s] 
 
 [t] 
 
 silent 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 theatre 
 
 tiare 
 
 ton 
 
 bete 
 patte 
 
 nation 
 balbutie- 
 ment 
 democratic 
 
 amitie* 
 
 chr^tien 
 
 partie 
 
 balbutier 
 
 question 
 portiez 
 
 asthme 
 bats 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [teaitr] 
 
 [tjair] 
 
 [to] 
 
 [beit] 
 [pat] 
 
 [nasjo] 
 [balbysima] 
 
 [demokrasi] 
 
 [amitje] 
 [kretje] 
 [parti] 
 
 [balbysje] 
 
 [kestjo] 
 [portje] 
 
 [asm] 
 [ba] 
 
52 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Final: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 In general: 
 
 silent 
 
 font 
 
 [fo] 
 
 
 
 donnent 
 
 [don] 
 
 In the words brut, 
 
 ra 
 
 brut 
 
 [bryt] 
 
 chut, dot, fat, huit, lut, 
 
 
 compact 
 
 [kopakt] 
 
 mat, net; compact, con- 
 
 
 sept 
 
 [set] 
 
 tact, correct, direct, ex- 
 
 
 est 
 
 [est] 
 
 act, infect, intact, tact, 
 
 
 
 
 strict; sept, transept; est 
 
 
 
 
 ("east"), ouest, zest; 
 
 
 
 
 and in soit when used 
 
 
 
 
 as an adverb : 
 
 
 
 
 But final t may be 
 
 silent 
 
 sept livres 
 
 [seliivr] or 
 
 silent in sept, and 
 
 
 
 [setliivr] 
 
 is always silent in 
 
 
 huit livres 
 
 [qiliivr] 
 
 huit, when these 
 
 
 
 
 words modify gram- 
 
 
 
 
 matically a follow- 
 
 
 
 
 ing noun beginning 
 
 
 
 
 with a consonant 
 
 
 
 
 sound. 
 
 
 
 
 91. U. 
 
 
 
 
 Independent: 
 
 
 
 
 Without written ac- 
 
 
 
 
 cent: 
 
 
 
 
 Before a consonant- 
 
 
 
 
 letter or final: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [y] 
 
 rude 
 
 [ryd] 
 
 
 
 tu 
 
 [ty] 
 
 Before checked m 
 
 
 
 
 or n: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 1 
 
 [ce] 
 
 humble 
 
 [oeibl] 
 
 
 
 commun 
 
 [komce] 
 
 1 Many Frenchmen pronounce the word un as [§]: un jour, [§3u:r]. 
 This pronunciation is condemned by the purists. 
 
LETTERS ! 
 
 T-U 
 
 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 When denasal- 
 ized before n 
 in liaison : l 
 
 [<B] 
 
 un ami 
 
 [cenami] 
 
 Before a sounded 
 vowel-letter : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 M 
 
 nuit 
 
 [nip] 
 
 After g or q: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 silent 
 
 guide 
 quand 
 
 [gid] 
 [ka] 
 
 In forms of ar- 
 guer; and in a 
 few other 
 words : 
 
 fa] 
 
 arguais 
 aiguille 
 
 [argue] 
 [egqiij] 
 
 In some book- 
 ish words: 
 
 N 
 
 lingual 
 equation 
 
 [legwal] 
 [ekwasjo] 
 
 Before final silent e: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [y] 
 
 due 
 
 [dy] 
 
 After g or q: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 silent 
 
 langue 
 publique 
 
 [tag] 
 
 [pyblik] 
 
 In the ending 
 
 [y] 
 
 aigue 
 
 [egy] 
 
 -gue: 
 
 
 
 
 With circumflex ac- 
 cent: 
 
 [y] 
 
 du 
 
 [dy] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 au, aou, eau: see sec- 
 tion 70. 
 
 
 
 
 eu, eu, ceu: see section 
 75. 
 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 1 Many Frenchmen pronounce denasalized un as [en] : un ami, [enami]. 
 is pronunciation is condemned by the purists. In popular speech a 
 
 i: i • _rx j „„ r,~>i. — „.~: r,™~,~;i inr^u 
 
 denasalized un is often pronounced as [yn]: un ami, [ynami]. With 
 regard to this pronunciation Martinon says (Comment on prononce le 
 frangais, p. 149): "II est peu de fautes plus choquantes." 
 
54 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 SOUNDS EXAMPLES 
 
 ou, ou, ou: see section 
 85. 
 
 ue: see section 75. 
 
 uy: 
 
 92. V: 
 
 93. X. 
 
 Initial: 
 
 Medial: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In the prefixes ex-, 
 hex-, sex-, before a 
 vowel sound: 
 
 In the prefix ex- be- 
 fore ce, ci, or s: 
 
 In the words deux- 
 ieme, sixieme, dixieme, 
 sixaine: 
 
 In the word soixante: 
 Final: 
 
 In general: 
 
 In the words six and 
 dix: 
 
 But the x is silent 
 when these words 
 modify grammati- 
 cally a following 
 noun beginning with 
 a consonant sound. 
 
 foil 
 
 [v] 
 
 N 
 
 [ks] 
 
 \sA 
 
 [k] 
 
 silent 
 
 H 
 
 silent 
 
 fuyard 
 appuyer 
 
 vceu 
 seve 
 livre 
 
 xylophone 
 
 axiome 
 
 [aksjoim] 
 
 exiler 
 hexam&tre 
 
 [egzile] 
 [egzameitr] 
 
 excellent 
 
 [eksela] 
 
 deuxi&me 
 
 [d0zjem] 
 
 soixante 
 
 [swasait] 
 
 voix 
 
 [vwa] 
 
 six 
 
 [sis] 
 
 six livres 
 
 [fqijair] 
 [apuije] 
 
 [v0] 
 
 [seiv] 
 
 [liivr] 
 
 [ksilofon] 
 
 [siliivr] 
 
LETTERS : 
 
 u-z 
 
 
 In the words dix-huit, 
 dix-huitieme, dix-neuf, 
 dix-neuvieme: 
 
 SOUNDS 
 
 H 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 dix-huit 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [dizqit] 
 
 In a few bookish 
 words: 
 
 [ks] 
 
 index 
 
 [edeks] 
 
 In liaison: 
 
 M 
 
 six hommes 
 
 [sizom] 
 
 94. Y. 
 
 
 
 
 Independent: 
 
 
 
 
 In the word y: 
 
 W 
 
 y 
 
 [i] 
 
 Before a vowel-letter : 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [J] 
 
 yeux 
 payer 
 
 [j0] 
 
 [peje] 
 
 Before i: 
 
 [i] 
 
 payions 
 
 [peijo] 
 
 Before a consonant- 
 letter: 
 
 
 
 
 In general: 
 
 [i] 
 
 lyre 
 hymne 
 
 [Bit] 
 
 [imn] 
 
 Before checked m 
 or n: 
 
 [e] 
 
 nymphe 
 
 [ne:f] 
 
 In combination: 
 
 
 
 
 ay: see section 70. 
 
 
 
 
 oy: see section 85. 
 
 
 
 
 uy: see section 91. 
 
 
 
 
 95. Z. 
 
 
 
 
 Initial or medial: 
 
 [■] 
 
 zele 
 dizaine 
 
 [zel] 
 [dizen] 
 
 Final: 
 
 silent 
 
 nez 
 avez 
 
 [ne] 
 [ave] 
 
 55 
 
56 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 FOREIGN WORDS 
 
 96. Many foreign words (aside from proper names, for which see 
 section 97) are frequently used in French. Some of these words are 
 pronounced as in the language from which they are borrowed; some are 
 pronounced as if they were French words; most of them show a com- 
 promise between the original pronunciation and a true French pro- 
 nunciation. The pronunciation of such words should in general be 
 sought in a dictionary.' A few such words, now quite naturalized in 
 French, have been treated in the preceding sections. Certain additional 
 principles and certain special peculiarities may be noted here. 
 
 Vowel-letters followed by final morn 
 are in many cases not nasal, and the 
 final m or n is in such cases sounded. 
 The letter e is in such cases pro- 
 nounced [e], and u is pronounced [o]. 
 
 Final ay and ey are pronounced as [e]. 
 
 Final b, final d, final p, final r in -er, 
 final s, final t in -st, and final z are 
 sounded in many words. 
 
 Sh is pronounced [$]. 
 
 Um and un, not final, are pronounced 
 
 [51. 
 
 W and wh are pronounced in some 
 
 words as [v], and in some as [w]. 
 
 Many words present special peculi- 
 arities. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 amen 
 
 [amen] 
 
 idem 
 
 [idem] 
 
 minimum 
 
 [minimom] 
 
 pensum 
 
 [pesom] 
 
 rhum 
 
 [rom] 
 
 tramway 
 
 [tramwe] 
 
 bey 
 
 [be] 
 
 club 
 
 [klyb] 
 
 nabab 
 
 [nabab] 
 
 talmud 
 
 [talmyd] 
 
 julep 
 
 bylep] 
 
 mater 
 
 [mateir] 
 
 blocus 
 
 [blokys] 
 
 cortes 
 
 [kortes] 
 
 omnibus 
 
 [omnibys] 
 
 ballast 
 
 [balast] 
 
 gaz 
 
 [gcnz] 
 
 shako 
 
 [$ako] 
 
 lumbago 
 
 [lobago] 
 
 punch 
 
 [p5:$] 
 
 tramway 
 
 [tramwe] 
 
 wagon 
 
 [vago] 
 
 whist 
 
 [wist] 
 
 almanach 
 
 [almana] 
 
 curacao 
 
 [kyraso] 
 
 czar 
 
 [tsair] 
 
 ghetto 
 
 [geto] 
 
 pouding 
 
 [pudeig] 
 
 revolver 
 
 [revolve:r] 
 
 shilling 
 
 PH , 
 
 steamer 
 
 [stimceir] or 
 
 
 [stimeir] 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
PROPER NAMES 
 
 57 
 
 PROPER NAMES 
 
 97. Proper names in general conform to the principles stated in 
 sections 68-95. Many proper names, however, present peculiarities in 
 pronunciation, usually because they are archaic in spelling, or because 
 they are foreign or of foreign origin. In cases of doubt, the pronun- 
 ciation of foreign names should be sought in a dictionary. Certain 
 special principles and certain special peculiarities may be noted here. 
 
 Vowel-letters followed by final m or n 
 are in many cases not nasal, and the 
 final m or n is in such cases sounded. 
 The letter e is in such cases pro- 
 nounced [e]. 
 
 Ae before final n is pronounced [a]. 
 Final ay and ey are pronounced [e]. 
 
 Final b and d are often sounded. 
 
 En, not final, is often pronounced [§]. 
 
 L is silent in proper names ending in 
 -auld, -auliy -aulx. 
 
 Final r is sounded in several names of 
 more than one syllable ending in -er. 
 
 S is silent in the prefix Des-; and in 
 several names in which it precedes I, 
 n, or t. It is pronounced as [z] in 
 several names in which it precedes b, 
 d, or r, or follows I or r. Final s is 
 sounded in several names. 
 
 Final st is sounded in some names. 
 
 Un, not final, is often pronounced [5]. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 Jerusalem 
 
 Rotterdam 
 
 Beethoven 
 
 [3eryzalem] 
 
 [roterdam] 
 
 [betoven] 
 
 Caen 
 
 w 
 
 Cambray 
 
 Ney 
 
 [kfibre] 
 [ne] 
 
 Achab 
 Alfred 
 Cid 
 
 [akab] 
 
 [alfred] 
 
 [sid] 
 
 Bengale 
 Benjamin 
 Pensylvanie 
 Rubens 
 
 [begal] 
 [be^amej 
 [pesilvanij 
 [rybeis] 
 
 Perrault 
 
 [pero] 
 
 Esther 
 Luther 
 Jupiter 
 Necker 
 
 [esteir] 
 [lyterr] 
 [3ypite:r] 
 [nekeir] 
 
 Descartes 
 
 Delisle 
 
 Aisne 
 
 Estienne 
 
 Lisbonne 
 
 Alsace 
 
 Arras 
 
 Reims 
 
 [dekart] 
 
 [dalil] 
 
 em] 
 
 [etjen] 
 
 [lizbonl 
 
 [alzas] 
 
 [ara:s] 
 
 [re:s] 
 
 Brest 
 
 Christ 
 
 Ernest 
 
 [brest] 
 [krist] 
 [ernest] 
 
 Brunswick 
 Dunkerque 
 
 [brosvik] 
 [dokerk] 
 
58 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 W is pronounced [v]. 
 
 X is variously treated : in some names 
 it is pronounced as [ks], in some as 
 [gz], in some as [s], in some as [k], and 
 in some, when final, it is silent. 
 
 Final z is variously pronounced: in 
 some names as [z], in some as [s]. 
 Final tz is usually pronounced as [ts], 
 sometimes as [si. 
 
 Many names present special peculi- 
 arities. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 Wagner 
 
 [vagneir] 
 
 Aix-la-Cha- 
 pelle 
 Aix-les- 
 
 [esla$apel] 
 
 [eslebe] 
 
 Bains 
 
 
 Alexandre 
 
 [aleksaidr] 
 
 Auxerre 
 
 [oseir] 
 
 Auxois 
 
 [oswa] 
 
 Beatrix 
 
 [beatris] 
 
 Bordeaux 
 
 [bordo] 
 
 Bruxelles 
 
 [brysel] 
 
 Felix 
 
 [feliks] 
 
 Mexique 
 
 [meksik] 
 
 Xenophon 
 
 [gzenofo] 
 
 Xerxes 
 
 [gzerseis] 
 
 Xim6nes 
 
 [kimeneis] 
 
 Berlioz 
 
 [berljoiz] 
 
 Buloz 
 
 [byb:zj 
 
 Cortez 
 
 [kortes] 
 
 Diaz 
 
 [dja:z] 
 
 Suez 
 
 [sqe:z] 
 
 Vera-Cruz 
 
 [verakryiz] 
 
 Austerlitz 
 
 [osterlits] 
 
 Biarritz 
 
 [bjarits] 
 
 Fritz 
 
 [frits] 
 
 Metz 
 
 [me:s] 
 
 Auch 
 
 [s>Sl 
 
 Bayard 
 
 [bajair] 
 
 Biscaye 
 
 [biskaij] 
 
 Cinq-Mars 
 
 [semair] 
 
 Colomb 
 
 [kolo] 
 
 Enghien 
 
 [age] 
 
 Enoch 
 
 [enok] 
 
 Heine 
 
 [em] 
 
 Huysmans 
 
 [qismais] 
 
 J6sus-Christ 
 
 [3ezykri] 
 
 La Fayette 
 
 [lafajet] 
 
 Leyde 
 
 [led] 
 
 Memphis 
 
 [mefiis] 
 
 Michel-Ange 
 
 [mikela:3] 
 
 Pharaon 
 
 [farao] 
 
 Poe 
 
 [poe] 
 
 Sainte- 
 
 [setmanu] 
 
 Menehould 
 
 
 Saint-Saens 
 
 [sesais] 
 
 Saone 
 
 [so:n] 
 
 Stael 
 
 [stal] 
 
 Warens 
 
 [vara] 
 
SYNTHESIS 
 
 SYLLABIC DIVISION 
 
 98. In Speech. A French 
 word has in actual speech as 
 many syllables as it has vowel 
 sounds. 
 
 In the syllabic division of a 
 French word as actually spoken : 
 
 a single consonant or semi- 
 consonant sound between 
 two vowels goes with the fol- 
 lowing vowel; 
 
 a group of two sounds of 
 which the first is a consonant 
 and the second a semicon- 
 sonant goes with the follow- 
 ing vowel; 
 
 a group of two consonant 
 sounds of which the first is 
 an explosive or a fricative 
 and the second is [1] or [r] 
 goes with the following vowel; 
 
 any other group of two con- 
 sonant sounds is divided, the 
 first going with the preceding 
 vowel, and the second with 
 following vowel; 
 
 any group of three consonant 
 sounds is divided, the first 
 sound going with the preced- 
 ing vowel, the other two sounds 
 with the following vowel. 
 
 59 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 geant 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 fee-a] 
 
 amabilite* 
 
 cochon 
 
 passer 
 
 payer 
 
 travailler 
 
 [a-ma-bi-li-te] 
 
 MB 
 
 [pa-se] 
 [pe-je] 
 [tra-va-je] 
 
 nation 
 alouette 
 
 [na-sjo] 
 [a-lwet] 
 
 sablon 
 
 apr£s 
 
 mettrons 
 
 [sa-blo] 
 
 [a-pre] 
 
 [me-tro] 
 
 admis 
 
 rhythmique 
 
 examen 
 
 acheter 
 
 instant 
 
 [ad-mi] 
 
 [rit-mik] 
 
 [eg-za-me] 
 
 [aS-te] 
 
 [es-ta] 
 
 malgre" 
 
 [mal-gre] 
 
60 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 99. In Spelling and Writing. The rules for the division 
 of a word in spelling, or at the end of a line in writing, are 
 as follows: 
 
 The word has as many syllables as it has 
 vowel-letters; except that 
 
 the combinations of vowel-letters listed 
 in sections 70, 75, 79, 85, and 91 may 
 not be separated; 
 
 i, u, and on, when representing a semi- 
 consonant sound, may not be separated 
 from a following vowel-letter; 
 
 silent e between g or j and a vowel-let- 
 ter does not count, and silent u does not 
 count; 
 
 a mute e after a vowel-letter may not be 
 separated from that letter. 
 
 Note that a mute e 
 letter does count. 
 
 after a coneonant- 
 
 A single consonant-letter other than x goes 
 with the following vowel-letter. 
 
 X goes with the preceding vowel-letter. 
 
 The groups ch, ph, th, gn, and all groups of 
 two consonant-letters of which the first is 
 b, c, d, f, g, p, t, or v and the second is I or 
 r go with the following vowel-letter. 
 
 All other groups of two consonant-letters 
 are divided. 
 
 A group of three consonant-letters con- 
 taining one of the combinations ch, ph, th, 
 or gn is so divided as not to separate the 
 ch, ph, th, or gn. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 ge-ant 
 Meu-se 
 
 bien-ve-nu 
 
 re-lui-re 
 
 oua-te 
 
 man-gea 
 Jean-ne 
 lan-gue 
 an-ti-que 
 
 6-p6e 
 
 par-tie 
 
 ci-gue 
 
 re-le-ver 
 por-te 
 
 a-ma-bi-li-te* 
 
 ex-a-men 
 
 a-che-ter 
 di-gne 
 sa-ble 
 a-pres 
 
 ad-mis 
 ab-bes-se 
 vil-le 
 aug-men-ter 
 
 ar-che 
 ath-l&-te 
 
STRESS 61 
 
 A group of three consonant-letters of 
 which the second is b, c, d, f, g, p, t, or v 
 and the third is I or r is divided between 
 the first of the three letters and the second. 
 
 All other groups of three consonant-letters 
 are divided between the second letter and 
 the third. 
 
 Prefixes are however usually set off with- 
 out regard to these rules. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 mal-gre* 
 met-trons 
 
 promp-te 
 sanc-tion 
 
 in-stant 
 in-u-ti-le 
 
 STRESS 
 In a Single Word 
 
 100. When a word of two or more syllables, as amabilite 
 or premiere, is pronounced separately, all syllables except 
 the last are spoken evenly and as far as possible without 
 stress, and the last is stressed. Even so, the stressed sylla- 
 ble is weaker in French than in English. 
 
 The stressed syllable is called the strong syllable, the others are 
 called weak syllables. It is possible however to distinguish two degrees 
 of weak syllables, namely "secondary" and "weak"; and the tendency 
 in French is toward a succession of secondary, weak, and strong syl- 
 lables. For instance, in amabilite the first and third syllables have a 
 secondary stress, the second and fourth are weak, and the last is 
 strong. In the group voulez-vous, the vou is secondary, the lez is weak, 
 and the vous is strong: compare what is said in the next section. The 
 American student should be warned against over-stressing the secon- 
 dary syllables. 
 
 In Connected Speech 
 
 101. Word Groups. In connected speech words lose their 
 individuality, and are pronounced in groups, as in the En- 
 glish phrase "Not at all." The length of the group is deter- 
 mined by the sense and by the amount of breath employed. 
 A group of closely connected words becomes, for the pur- 
 poses of pronunciation, a single long word. 
 
62 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 In the pronunciation of such a group of words, all sylla- 
 bles except the last are spoken evenly and with little or no 
 stress (see the preceding section), while the last syllable of 
 all is stressed. Examples: 
 
 Nous sommes ]oyeux. [nusom3waJ0] 
 
 II veut me donner cela. [ilvomdonesla] 
 
 Les deux voleurs etaient crucifies a ses cotes. 
 [ledo voice :r etekrysifje asekote] 
 
 De temps en temps elle relevait la tUe. 
 [dotazata elrolvelateit] 
 
 Le jeune homme doux et simple aux mains meurtries et gonflees. 
 [19303110m dueseipl ome mcertriegofle] 
 
 When the group ends with a word of two pronounced syl- 
 lables the stress often falls upon the first of the two. This 
 occurs especially in words ending in -on: 
 
 C'6tait la voix de la nation! [setelavwadlanasjo] 
 
 102. Logical and Emotional Stress. Logical and emotional stress 
 are obtained by stressing a syllable not regularly stressed, as in the 
 English phrase "Sins of omission and of commission": 
 
 II faut se demettre ou se sowmettre. 
 [ilfosdemetr usosumetr] 
 
 D'une part il a gagne, de 1' autre il a perdu, 
 [dynparilagajie dolotrilaperdy] 
 
 impossible! [eposibl] 
 
 Miserable! [mizerabl] 
 
 In general, emotional stress is made in English by reinforcing the 
 stressed syllable, as in "incredible" or "ridiculous." In French, on 
 the other hand, the stress is often displaced: "incroz/able," "n'dicule." 
 But when in French the stressed word is in a group of words and be- 
 gins with a vowel sound, the emotional stress is placed on the second 
 syllable of the word; otherwise it is on the first: "ce miserable!"; "c'est 
 impossible!" 
 
VOWEL QUANTITY 
 
 63 
 
 VOWEL QUANTITY 
 
 103. French vowels are in 
 general short. 
 
 But stressed vowels are 
 long in the cases enumerated 
 below (the phonetic sign indi- 
 cating length is i, placed after 
 the long vowel) : 
 
 Any stressed vowel is long 
 when followed by one of 
 the sounds [j], [v], [z], [3], 
 or by the sound [r] when 
 that sound is the last 
 sound of the word. 
 
 A stressed vowel written 
 with a circumflex accent 
 is long when followed by 
 a consonant sound; ex- 
 cept in etes, and in the 
 endings of the past abso- 
 lute and past subjunctive 
 tenses. 
 
 The oral vowels [a], [a], 
 [e], [o], and [0] are long, 
 when stressed, in many 
 words in which they are 
 followed by a consonant 
 sound. 
 
 A stressed nasal vowel is 
 always long when fol- 
 lowed by a consonant 
 sound. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 soleil 
 
 [soleij] 
 
 cave 
 
 [kaiv] 
 
 rose 
 
 [roiz] 
 
 rage 
 
 [rai3J 
 
 mer 
 
 [meir] 
 
 meurt 
 
 [mceir] 
 
 maitre 
 
 [meitr] 
 
 tete 
 
 [teit] 
 
 table 
 miracle 
 
 [taibl] 
 [miraikl] 
 
 reine 
 tome 
 meule 
 
 [rein] 
 
 [toim] 
 
 [m0il] 
 
 tante 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [tait] 
 
64 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 LIAISON 
 
 104. When a word ending in a consonant-letter which is 
 ordinarily silent is followed immediately by a closely related 
 word beginning with a vowel-letter, with an h that is not 
 preventive, or with a y, the final consonant-letter of the first 
 word is sometimes sounded, as in premier an, [prom j era]; 
 vingt arbres, [vetarbr]; allez-y, [alezi]. This special sounding 
 of a final consonant-letter is called liaison or linking. 
 
 In ordinary speech it occurs usually in the conditions 
 listed in section 107, seldom otherwise. In poetry and dec- 
 lamation it is used more extensively. 
 
 105. The letters n, p, r, t, 
 and z have in liaison their nor- 
 mal values [n], [p], [r], [t], and 
 [z]. 
 
 D sounds as [tj. 
 
 F s sounds as [v] in neuf ans 
 and neuf heures; elsewhere 
 as [f]. 
 
 G sounds as [k]. 
 
 S and x sound as [z]. 
 
 106. When n is linked, the 
 preceding vowel is partly or 
 wholly denasalized. 
 
 An e denasalized from [a] is 
 sounded [aj. 
 
 An 6 denasalized from [e] is 
 sounded [e]. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 un grand 
 homme 
 
 neuf heures 
 un vif interet 
 
 sang impur 
 
 des enfants 
 deux amis 
 
 en Italie 
 bien aimge 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [cegratom] 
 
 [ncevceir] 
 [oevifetere] 
 
 [sakepyir] 
 
 [dezafa] 
 [d0zami] 
 
 [anitali] 
 
 [bjeneme] 
 
LIAISON 
 
 65 
 
 An o is sounded [o]. 
 A u is sounded [03]. 1 
 
 107. Liaison usually occurs 
 (within the general limits in- 
 dicated in section 104) in the 
 following combinations : 
 
 In an article or adjective fol- 
 lowed by a noun; 
 
 In a plural noun followed by 
 an adjective; 
 
 In a pronoun followed by a 
 verb; 
 
 In a verb followed by a hy- 
 phenated pronoun or ad- 
 verb; 
 
 In an adverb followed by a 
 participle or adjective; 
 
 In a preposition followed by 
 its object; 
 
 Selon, however, is not 
 linked. 
 
 In certain locutions. 
 
 Liaison occurs often, but 
 not invariably, after forms 
 of etre and otlier auxiliary 
 verbs. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 mon ami 
 un ami 
 
 les hommes 
 aux amis 
 autres hommes 
 
 jours heureux 
 les Etats-Unis 
 
 nous avons 
 nous les avons 
 
 dit-il 
 
 donnez-en 
 
 allez-y 
 
 fort &nu 
 bien aimable 
 
 dans une heure 
 des a present 
 
 selon eux 
 
 pot a eau 
 pas a pas 
 mort aux rats 
 sang et eau 
 
 je suis a table 
 il est occupe" 
 il doit arriver 
 il se fait aimer 
 fais attention 
 
 but 
 faites attention 
 
 1 See the footnote on p. 53. 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [monami] 
 [cenamil 
 
 [lezom] 
 [ozami] 
 [otrozom] 
 
 [3urzcer0] 
 [lezetazyni] 
 
 [nuzavo] 
 [nulezavo] 
 
 [ditil] 
 
 [doneza] 
 
 [alezi] 
 
 [fortemy] 
 [bjenemabl] 
 
 [dazynceir] 
 [dezapreza] 
 
 [sol50] 
 
 [potao] 
 [pazapa] 
 [mortora] 
 [sakeo] 
 
 foasuizatabl] 
 
 [iletokype] 
 
 [ildwatarive] 
 
 [ilsofeteme] 
 
 [fezatasjo] 
 
 [fetatasjo] 
 
SQ 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 108. It is to be noted that 
 final m is never linked; that 
 the t of et is never linked; that 
 the linking of other words end- 
 ing in -et is rare; and that link- 
 ing does not occur before huit 
 or huitieme (except in the com- 
 pound words dix-huit, dix-hui- 
 tieme), or before onze, onzieme, 
 ouate, oui. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 sang et eau 
 un volet ouvert 
 les huit amis 
 mais oui 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 [sakeo] 
 [cevoleuveir] 
 [leqitami] 
 [mewil 
 
 ASSIMILATION 
 
 109. When in the course of rapid 
 speech a consonant sound which is 
 normally voiced comes directly be- 
 fore a voiceless sound, the voiced 
 consonant changes to the corre- 
 sponding voiceless consonant. 1 
 
 Similarly, when a consonant 
 which is normally voiceless comes 
 directly before a voiced consonant 
 sound, the voiceless consonant 
 changes to the corresponding voiced 
 consonant. 2 
 
 When a consonant which is nor- 
 mally voiceless comes in rapid 
 speech between two vowels, it 
 changes to the corresponding voiced 
 consonant: see section 105. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 la-dessus 
 
 [latsy] 
 
 m6decin 
 
 [metse] 
 
 coup de pied 
 
 [kutpje] 
 
 le monde civilise 
 
 [lamotsivilize] 
 
 monsieur 
 
 [masjo] or 
 
 
 [msjo] or 
 
 
 [psjo] 
 
 le second 
 
 [lazgo] 
 
 avec Jean 
 
 [aveg3fi] 
 
 archeveque de 
 
 [ar$avegdapari] 
 
 Paris 
 
 
 SYMBOLS 
 
 1 Compare the pronunciation of b before s or t: see section 71. 
 
 2 Compare the pronunciation of anecdote: see section 72. 
 
ELISION 
 
 67 
 
 ELISION 
 
 110. The monosyllables la, ce, de, je, 
 le, me, ne, que, se, te, and certain com- 
 pounds of que, such as jusque, lorsque, 
 and quelque, drop the final letter and are 
 written with an apostrophe in its place 
 when they immediately precede a word 
 beginning with a vowel-letter, an h that 
 is not preventive, or y. 1 
 
 This elision, however, does not take 
 place when the monosyllable is connected 
 by a hyphen with a preceding verb. 
 
 Elision does not take place before pre- 
 ventive h, nor before the words onze, oui, 
 uhlan. It does not usually take place 
 before ouate. 
 
 Si is elided before il or Us. 
 
 EXAMPLES 
 
 Tame 
 
 c'est 
 
 d'hier 
 
 j'ai 
 
 je n'ai pas 
 
 qu'avez-vous? 
 
 l'yeuse 
 
 est-ce un homme 
 ai-je ete? 
 donnez-le a Jean 
 
 le hero 
 
 le onze mai 
 
 du uhlan 
 
 s'il est 
 s'ils sont 
 
 PITCH 
 
 111. Pitch is the high or low quality (tone) of a musical sound. 
 In speech, pitch depends on the number of vibrations of the vocal 
 chords within a given period of time. 
 
 Since a short body necessarily vibrate 1 ?, faster than a long one, the 
 voices of children generally have a K aer pitch than those of adults, 
 their vocal chords being shorter. B. '. speech sounds also differ among 
 themselves as to pitch: [i] is W^Usr 'than [a] and [a] is higher than [o]. 2 
 In general, French has few -r low notes than English, and therefore the 
 same voice speaking French and English will appear to have a higher 
 pitch in French than in English. At the same time, emotion has a 
 marked effect on the human voice, and the same sentence (or part of 
 it) will fluctuate in pitch according to the emotional element in it: 
 see the following section. 
 
 1 Compare the muting of e at the end of a syllable: see section 75. 
 
 2 See Passy, les Sons du frangais, 7th ed., § 150. 
 
68 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 INTONATION 
 
 112. Intonation, the musical element of a language, depends on 
 the proper use of voice, and can be learned adequately only from a 
 native — although students will derive great profit from the intelligent 
 use of phonographic records. 
 
 It is important to remember that the pronunciation of French as 
 compared with that of English is even, harmonious and regular, with 
 a clear and definite articulation of vowels and consonants (especially 
 the vowels) and a more or less equal alternation of accented (syllabe 
 orte) and unaccented (syllabe faible) syllables. 
 
 In so far, however, as intonation is a rise cr a fall of voice in pitch 
 (often quite distinct from the inherent pitch of vowels and consonants), 
 the following principles may be noted as especially applicable to 
 French: 
 
 1. In French the voice rises or falls in longer intervals than in 
 English. The range may be an entire octave. 
 
 2. The last syllable of a breath-group has a higher (/) or a lower 
 pitch (\) than the others: 
 
 Venez-vous (/)? Are you coming? 
 C'est triste (\). That is sad. 
 
 3. The rise or fall in pitch corresponds to the connotation of the 
 phrase; that is, to the emotion the speaker puts into it. "Surprise" 
 is high, "disappointment" low; "exclamations" are high, "negations" 
 or "refusals" low, etc. "Generally speaking, in French, a comma or 
 semicolon indicates a rise, a note of interrogation or exclamation indi- 
 cates a more marked rise. A full stop indicates a fall, the end of a 
 paragraph a more marked fall." 1 
 
 Est-ce qu'il est ici {/)\^ Is he here? 
 
 Assur&ment non (\)! \{£rtainly not! 
 
 II a perdu maison (/), Jeirwe (/), enfants (\). He has lost 
 
 home, wife, children. 
 II est venu seul (/)\ He came alone! (said in surprise.) 
 II est venu seul (\). He came alone, (said with regret.) 
 
 4. Often a rise is preceded by a fall, and vice versa: 
 
 Pour qui me prenez(\)-vous done (/)? Whom do you take 
 
 me for? 
 Enfin (/), que voulez-vous (\)? Well, what do you expect? 
 
 1 Passy, les Sons du frangais, 7th ed., § 139. 
 
INTONATION 69 
 
 Thus we may mark by a higher pitch that which is most important in 
 a phrase: 
 
 Elle est sortie en pleu{/)rant (\). She went out weeping. 
 A tout {/) jamais (\). Forever. 
 Parfai(/)tement (\)! Exactly! 
 
 Owing to this fact, the end of a sentence is often whispered in French: 
 II y en a beau(/)couv. There are many. 
 N'y pensons {/) plus. Let's think no more of it. 
 
 5. It should also be noted that not only single syllables but groups 
 of syllables, indeed entire phrases, may be pronounced on a higher or 
 a lower pitch, according to the meaning that is desired: 
 
 r Tiens, te voila!"^ I declare, there you are! 
 
 l_Allons done. j Come, let's go. 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 (This is a list of the books that have been of most help to tke 
 authors. The use of these books is heartily recommended to those 
 who wish to study the subject in greater detail.) 
 
 B. Dumville, Elements of French Pronunciation and Diction, Dutton, 
 
 New York, 1914. 
 P. Martinon, Comment on prononce le frangais, traite complet de pro- 
 
 nonciation pratique avec les noms propres et les mots etrangers, La- 
 
 rousse, Paris, 1913. 
 G. G. Nicholson, A Practical Introduction to French Phonetics, Mac- 
 
 millan, London, 1909. 
 G. Noel-Armfield, General Phonetics, for Missionaries and Students of 
 
 Language, Heffer, Cambridge (England), 1915. 
 K. Nyrop, Manuel phonMique du frangais parte (translation by E. Phili- 
 
 pot), 3rd ed., Picard, Paris and Copenhagen, 1914. 
 P. Passy, les Sons du frangais, 7th ed., Didier, Paris, 1913. 
 Idem, The Sounds of the French Language (translation by D. L. Savory 
 
 and D. Jones), Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1907. 
 K. Quiehl, Franzosische Aussprache und Sprachfertigkeit, Teubner, 
 
 Leipsic and Berlin, 1912. 
 Rousselot and Laclotte, Precis de pronunciation frangaise, Welter, 
 
 Paris, 1902. 
 
 70 
 
EXERCISES 
 
 (The numbers of the several Exercises correspond to the 
 numbers of the sections on which they are based.) 
 
 1 
 
 a. With the palms of the hands pressed tightly against 
 the ears, pronounce forcibly "s, z, s, z, s, z, s, z." Note the 
 buzzing in the head which takes place when the voiced 
 sound is pronounced. Note that for the "s" all the sound 
 comes from the friction of the air at the front of the 
 mouth. 
 
 b. State the phonetic difference between the two words 
 of each of the following pairs of words: coast, ghost; pace, 
 base; down, town; case, gaze; dog, talk. 
 
 c. With the aid of a hand mirror locate the various 
 organs of speech; note their form; and examine the move- 
 ments or changes in position which certain ones may make. 
 
 a. Point out in the following words cases of the represen- 
 tation of the same sound by different letters or combinations 
 of letters: he, machine, eat, ate, eight, set, many, head, rat, 
 ask, father, all, awl, cot, go, thought, though, through, enough, 
 bough, use, loose, lose, knight, writing, psychology, attention, 
 fox, asked, nephew, rose, dose, lies, ice. 
 
 b. Point out in the same words cases in which the 
 same letters or combinations of letters represent different 
 sounds. 
 
 c. Point out the silent consonants in the same words. 
 
 71 
 
72 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 8 
 
 (The phonetic symbols used in Exercises 8-54 have the 
 same value as those used in sections 8-54: see the footnote 
 on p. 6. In doing Exercises 8-62 and the Review Exercises 
 advanced students should in each case identify and spell the 
 French words represented by the phonetic combinations.) 
 
 a. Assume the correct vocal position for the production of 
 the sound [i], using a hand mirror; and then produce the sound 
 several times: [i, i, i, i, i, i, i]. 
 
 b. Pronounce the following phonetic combinations, each of 
 which represents a real French word: [midi, si, sis, pip, ni, vi, 
 vit, fini, ri, li]. 
 
 9 
 a. Repeat the sound [e]. 
 6. Pronounce: [e, de, ne, bebe, se, ge, le, te, ete, epe]. 
 
 10 
 
 a. Repeat the sound [e]. 
 *b. Pronounce: [e, e, e, e, e, e, e, 8, e, e]. 
 
 c. [el, bel, sek, rest, ferm, set, me, le, pe, erne]. 
 
 d. [ete, sede, efe, mete, ese, gete, epe, mele, sete, prete]. 
 
 11 
 
 a. Repeat the sound [a]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [a, la, ta, sa, ma, dra, papa, frapa, madam, 
 kapabl, lwa, fwa]. 
 
 First Review: Front Vowels 
 
 a. [i, e, e, a; li, le, le, la; mi, me, me, ma; si, se, se, sa]. 
 
 b. [ide, imite, ete, eda, inikite, kapasite, abi, desizif, defi, 
 enmi, kaptif, avi, ede, evek, sese, atake, amne, kafe, abe, 
 aspe, akademi, aksepte, apeti, asistel. 
 
EXERCISES 73 
 
 13 
 
 a. Repeat the sound [a]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a]. 
 
 c. [ba, pa, ka, ma, trwa, krwa, klais, pais, part, aitr]. 
 
 d. [laba, kadna, ramasa, albaitr, kasa, pasa, anana, 
 amais, amasa]. 
 
 14 
 
 a. Repeat the sound [o]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [fol, kol, sol, blok, kok, kom, som, od, kod, 
 mod, fors, golf, glob, not, o:r, fo:r, ko:r, no:r, doir]. 
 
 15 
 
 a. Repeat the sound [o]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [o, o, o, o, o, o, o, o, o, o]. 
 
 c. [gro, so, o, bo, fo, poiz, o:t, so:t, toip, so:s, to:m, grois]. 
 
 d. [oton, kordo, morso, moroiz, ormo, porno, monopol, 
 mozole]. 
 
 16 
 
 a. Repeat the sound [u]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [lu, ku, du, nu, vu, kuku, gu, pul, mu, tu, 
 fu, puir, kuir, duiz, tuir, bluiz, kuru, surd]. 
 
 Second Review: Back Vowels 
 
 a. Practice each of these pairs of sounds back and forth, 
 watching the lips and tongue in the mirror and taking the 
 positions vigorously and firmly: [i, u; e, o; e, o; a, a]. 
 
 6. Pronounce: [i, e, e, a, a, o, o, u, li, le, le, la, la, lo, lu]. 
 
 c. [sup, so, post, pa, dra, rest, pli, likid, difisil, viktim, 
 bebe, pedestr, ebein, ekraze, maladi, servis, riske, mone, 
 modern, kilometr, lugaru, feminist, kolabore, morfin, dra- 
 matist, kuto, eskort, motive, moralist, fulair, emisfeir, ner- 
 vozite, parad, vudre, poze, dusaitr, boku, baskuir, lila, gato, 
 metamorfoiz]. 
 
74 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 18 
 
 a. Repeat the pair of sounds [i, y] with vigorous lip action, 
 mirror in hand. 
 
 b. Pronounce these pairs of words with vigorous lip action, 
 taking particular care to keep the tongue tensely in the same 
 position for both vowels: [di, dy; gi, gy; li, ly; mi, my; ni, ny; 
 si, sy; vi, vy]. 
 
 c. Pronounce: [ty, kry, ply, ry, ryd, nyl, bryn, lyn, dyp, 
 myrz, myir, sy:r, fytyir, kyltyir]. 
 
 19 
 
 a. Repeat the pair of sounds [e, 0]. 
 
 b. Pronounce these pairs of words: [be, b0; de, d0; fe, f0; 
 ge, g0; ne, n0]. 
 
 c. Pronounce: [f0, p0, v0, d0, 0, s0, kr0, kr0iz, f0itr, n0:tr]. 
 
 20 
 
 a. Repeat the pair of sounds [e, oe]. 
 
 b. Pronounce these pairs of words: [ef, oef; sel, soel; nef, 
 noef ; meir, moerr; leir, loeir; peir, poeir]. 
 
 c. Pronounce: [boef, goel, moebl, voef, poepl, koeir, sceir, 
 loeir, flceir]. 
 
 21 
 
 [la, ma, ka, sa, dasu, lave, sasi, brabi, faze, masj0, rapo, 
 vanir, optanir]. 
 
 Third Review: Oral Vowels 
 
 [vu, pu:r, sere, sel, pa, presi, rapoze, veir, aloir, valoeir, 
 cer0, filozof, filozofik, rival, separe, sykr, aktoeir, naivte, 
 oratoeir, valoer0iz, moir, model, mikroskop, maJonet, inata- 
 kabl, imitatif, gard, galope, prydri, ryral, syperb, syrtu, 
 syrpriiz, pase, po, gro]. 
 
EXERCISES 75 
 
 23 
 
 a. State which of the following words contain nasal 
 vowels: tromper, bien, conter, inimitte, homme, envoy er, 
 iniquite*, inviter, monotone, ennemi, automne. 
 
 b. State in which of the same words the mornis sounded. 
 
 24 
 
 a. Repeat the pair of sounds [e, §]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [mem, me; vein, ve; sein, se; pern, pe; plem, 
 pie; trein, tre; gem, ge; lem, le]. 
 
 c. [be, de, fe, ve, ge, me, pe, te, teit, se, seit, seidr, fe, 
 
 feidr, seipll. 
 
 25 
 
 a. Repeat the pair of sounds [a, a]. 
 
 b. Pronounce these pairs of words: [pa, pa; ba, ba; ta, ta; 
 ka, ka; ga, ga; a, a; ma, ma]. 
 
 c. Pronounce: [sa, ra, va, la, gra, afa, ta, tast, taipl, 
 laip, a:pl, aigl]. 
 
 26 
 
 a. Repeat the pair of sounds [o, 5]. 
 
 b. Pronounce these pairs of words: [bon, bo; don, do; son, 
 so; ton, to]. 
 
 c. Pronounce: [b5, mo, lo, po, plo, fro, poip, roid, o:kl, 
 koit, mo:t]. 
 
 27 
 
 a. Repeat the pair of sounds [ce, ce]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [de, brce, kce, defce, komoe, okde, tribde, 
 oeibl]. 
 
 Fourth Review: Nasal Vowels 
 
 a. Repeat the series [e, a, o, tie]. 
 
 b. Pronounce: [deste, me, mota, afa, afe, moto, tato, 
 paidr, peidr, aproeit, afosa, parftie, silais, kota, trope, eporttie, 
 kelkoe, lota, apsolyma, definitivma, oer0zma, yniverselmaj. 
 
76 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 29 
 
 [bje, dj0, fjeir, j0, jeir, lje, lj0, mje, mj0, njes, pje, pjes, 
 rje, sjel, sj0, sje, sjen, sjekl, tje, vje, eseje, batajo, masj0, 
 fceij, kaje, kobje, koseij, vjaid, pa:j]. 
 
 30 
 
 [bi:j, bijair, bije, fiij, fijet, fijcel, gijme, gijoim, gijotin^ 
 ki:j, mije, pije, pija:3, sijo, tijai3, vaniij, 3atijom]. 
 
 31 
 
 [baji, koejiir, vjeji, peji]. 
 
 32 
 
 [qit, nil, bi^i, fqi, hp, brtji, sqi, frqi, plqi, kijiir, ekijel, tqe, 
 salija, sqaiv, vertq0, ctepiji, nqa^]. 
 
 33 
 
 [brqijeir, kqijerr, bnjija, anqije, apijije, egqiij, tijijo, 
 esqije, fqija, eknije]. 
 
 34 
 
 [wi, west, fwe, fwete, alwet, lwe, lwoeir, dwel, dweir, 
 mwet, nwe, nwe, rwe, rwe, rwi, swe, swete, vwe, avwe, 
 re3wiir]. 
 
 35 
 
 [wa, waiz, wazif, wazo, bwait, bwa, dwa, dwan, fwair, 
 fwas, kwa, kwaf, lwair, lwai3, mwa, mwal, mwan, rawano, 
 swasait, vwasi]. 
 
 36 
 
 [mwaje, fwaje, lwaje, lwajal, nwaje, swaj0, vwajai3, 
 vwaja, vwajel, dwaje]. 
 
 37 
 [bwa, krwa, trwa, krwasa, klwaitr, pwa, pwail]. 
 
EXERCISES 77 
 
 38 
 
 [fwe, pwe, pweit, swe, mwe, kwe, lwe, lwete, pegwe, 
 pweidr]. 
 
 Fifth Review: Semiconsonants 
 
 [pjes, vwajel, vulje, pui, kwair, mwaje, tytwaje, ruin, 
 kwarto, eseje, esuije, ojo, gryjeir, swe, qit, dopqi, suiivr, lje, 
 pwaso, fipjair]. 
 
 42 
 
 [bije, bebe, eberb, barb, babl0, bonceir, bopeir, bulvair, 
 byro, b0, beef, bozwe, be, badi, bote, brce, ble, braiv, bwair, 
 tabl, debri, korbo, blamabl]. 
 
 43 
 [pip, pepe, pepsin, papijo, pa, aipr, popyleir, popjeir, pul, 
 pyblik, p0, pcepl, poti, pesne, pase, po:p, prepare, plypair, 
 aipl, kapris, eklips, espri, apsolyma, apstre]. 
 
 44 
 [di, dede, deste, daboir, danabl, dofe, dota, dot, duble, 
 dyp, id0, pydceir, doda, dedo, da, verdce, drapo]. 
 
 45 
 [titanik, teaitr, tety, tatu, tate, bjeto, totalite, tutafe, 
 tytel, t0tonik, tytceir, ete, atata, tato, setce]. 
 
 46^7 
 [gitair, gete, ge:r, gair, gato, gotje, gotik, degute, degyste, 
 blag0iz, blagceir, ge, gatle, gone, va:g, lo:g, groig, egzekyte, 
 egzakt, egzaipl]. 
 
 48-49 
 [kite, kepi, keski, kaket, ka, kokliko, koko, kuku, kyltyir, 
 k0, koeir, korel, kezem, kaka, kikok, kelkce, sek, ekrityir, 
 ekwatceir, eksatrik, eksitabl, pretekst]. 
 
78 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 51 
 
 [vivifi, vety, verty, vale, vaiz, volka, votr, voitr, vudre, 
 vylgeir, nerv0, vceiv, voluir, vedikativ, vadrodi, vivo, vre- 
 sablabl, liivr, vje]. 
 
 52 
 
 [fifr, feko, feibl, falsifje, faiz, fosfoir, fokol, fulair, fyzi, f0, 
 fceij, fomel, fe, fdfair, fotem, defce, frikase, flanel, eflcere, 
 efrene, swaf]. 
 
 53 
 
 [zigzag, zero, zel, bizair, zodjak, zoin, zyt, liz0:z, lizo3ir, 
 reze, foza, mezo, lezoe, egzile, egzame]. 
 
 54 
 
 [sis, sesesjo, sesasjo, sasjete, sosjete, sosis, susj0, susj0iz, 
 syspais, s0, sceir, sosi, seserite, sasusi, saso, sfeiks, skadal, 
 slaiv, spesjal, staty, fas, espais, frase, eskis]. 
 
 55 
 
 foiza, 3ezy, 30, 3alu, 3or3, 30m, 3U3U, 3y:3, 30, 30m, 3ole, 
 3e:dr, 3avje, 30glo3ir, a3ce, le3a:d, sa:3, bu3i]. 
 
 56 
 
 [$i$, $e, $eiz, $ar3, $a:s, $okola, $ose, $u, $y$ote, pe$ceir, ka$o, 
 vi$i, sei$, $oiz]. 
 
 58 
 
 [mimik, memeto, me:m, mama, ma, moma, mo, mule, 
 mynisipal, m0nje, mcebl, manqe, me, make, mote, pom, 
 eterim, mje, mwa]. 
 
 59 
 
 [ni, ne, nef, naif, non, nofra:3, nuvo, nymero, n0$atel, no3f, 
 nesf, nait, nojalais, yn, bon, benevol, nasjonalite]. 
 
EXERCISES 79 
 
 60 
 
 [dijiite, edijie, ajies, majianim, minon, ano, swan0, ete- 
 nceir, sejia, ono, diji, ren, kapan, bulon]. 
 
 61 
 
 [ri, riir, reduiir, rektceir, rair, ra, rok, roik, ru, ry, cer0, 
 orceir, ropa, re, ra, ro, piir, meir, air, foir, puir, pyir, sceir, 
 bri, kree, drese, fraka, gra, propo, tro, vre, aikr, seidr, kofr, 
 meigr, propr, litr, iivr]. 
 
 62 
 
 [li, le, le, la, la, lok, lo, lu, ly, loeir; le, la, 15, Ice, il, elit, el, 
 bal, pail, kol, roil, ful, myl, seel, brail, pli, ble, kle, flak, gla, 
 slaiv, tabl, eklips, aflame, eigl]. 
 
 Sixth Review: Consonants 
 
 [inikite, elevasjo, vestibyl, fanatik, elais, monoton, fobuir, 
 dulur0, lygybr, lyksabuir, fug0, oer0iz, poeir, dova, deste, 
 epresjo, katite, eteli3ama, edispcisabl, trope, Sato, lde, epu- 
 vatabl, fiprce, vjeij, soleij, fceij, vwasi, dwan, swe, lui, dopuj, 
 nqai5, verti{0, fijo3l, baji, wazo, dwaje, pwa, bozwe, kuijeir, 
 prezopsjo, apsolyma, bateim, tytoeir, totalite, dramatist, 
 akutyme, grasj0, efoir, bref, volypte, sasjete, fizjolo3i, $wa- 
 ziso, rofyi3, 3y3ma, myrmyre, anonim, kopajii, ridikyl, tre, 
 raidr, liberte, animal, pretekst, egza3ere, roproduiir, vresa- 
 blais, komce, fryktii0, kalifje, $iryr3Je, $edceivr, rokfoir, lj0, 
 laba]. 
 
 64-67 
 
 a. Recite the French alphabet. 
 
 b. Spell the following words, using the "identifying sounds": 
 malcontent, aisement, orthographe, patisserie, gloire, habi- 
 tude, g6nerosit6, national, poursuivre, n6cessit6, construc- 
 tion, chose, zouave, immense, tramway. 
 
80 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 70 
 
 (Each of the several Exercises from 70 to 95 is divided 
 into two parts. In the first part the words are arranged 
 in the order of the rules. In the second part they are ar- 
 ranged alphabetically.) 
 
 Write the following words in phonetic script, and pronounce 
 them: a, va, lave, salle, madame, malade, Panama, base, 
 bras, camp, lampe, an, sang, sans, dansant, a, la, ane, pate, 
 dansames (verb), vrai, fait, paix, aime, aise, aimais, abaisse, 
 dansai (verb), sais, faisais (form of faire), bain, sain, mainte, 
 faite, faon, Laon, au, faut, aube, autre, Maure, aura, aurait, 
 eau, veau. 
 
 Adam, aidates (verb), aide, aimai (verb), allais, apaise, 
 apre, aune, aurais, aux, balai, bavarde, beaux, cadeau, 
 caisse, Canada, canard, cas, cause, cave, faible, faire, faisait 
 (form of faire), fausse, faute, fauve, franc, grand, gras, 
 laisse, ma, maint, masse, pain, palais, parlai, part, pauvre, 
 plaindre, plan, plante, platre, rampe, rang, rat, saut, saute, 
 ta, tain, tant, taon, taupe, vain, vainc, vase. 
 
 71-74 
 
 base, abime, arabe, table, arbre, sabbatique, absence, ob- 
 tenir, aplomb, cabane, ecole, cure, crime, oracle, secondaire, 
 respect, cent, vice, cypres, bee, choc, franc, instinct, broc, 
 tabac, accaparer, accomplir, accumulation, accent, Occident, 
 cheval, charge, dechirer, chronologie, chaos,- catechumene, 
 chimie, cherubin, tachygraphe, archeologie, brachial, acqui- 
 sition, scapin, scorpion, bousculer, scrupule, scelerat, science, 
 schematique, recu, desert, madame, tu vends, grand. 
 
 abbesse, absolu, accabler, accepter, accommoder, acquies- 
 cer, archeveque, archiepiscopal, aspect, Bacchus, b£be, bi- 
 cyclette, blamable, bloc, brise, cadet, ce*cite, chimere, chose, 
 chretien, chronometre, clerc, cocher, colere, Colomb, eric 
 crac, diligent, ^carter, 6chine, eclipse, fecule, jonc, menaca, 
 
EXERCISES 81 
 
 nid, obstacle, occuper, orchestre, probleme, racine, sacre\ 
 scabreux, sceptique, schismatique, scintiller, scribe, sculp- 
 teur, sec, seconder, sud, descends. 
 
 75 
 
 elfe, escapade, ethnique, effacer, effroi, essai, essoufler, 
 essuyer, et, embrasser, emmagasiner, enquete, enamourer, 
 ennoblir, ennemi, il en a, sagesse, sec, ferme, dessert, des- 
 cendance, dessous, destin, solennel, innocemment, hennir, 
 parler, boulanger, assez, chanter, livres, mes, ses, novembre, 
 remplace, couvent, dent, rien, doyen, viendra, chaldeen, 
 parisien, Orient, patience, inconscient, ils parlent, changeons, 
 gageure, Jean, medecin, nettement, acheter, vase, manque- 
 rait, allemand, le chemin, debout, regard, bretelle, crever, 
 Richelieu, relieur, marcherions, relever, essayerais, donnez-le, 
 deVelopper, je le veux, je ne le veux pas, je le demande, 
 je te le demande, je ne te le demande pas, un petit, une 
 petite, la legon, la bonne lecon, un bout de cigare, une 
 botte de cigares, le cousin de Madame, la cousine de Ma- 
 dame, beaucoup de livres, une douzaine de livres, la fenetre, 
 cette fenetre, je demande, Charles demande, mademoiselle, 
 une demoiselle, asseyez-vous, rep£tez, abb£, chante, pr£- 
 occupe, puisse-je, chante-je, eleve, pere, riviere, espece, tete, 
 foret, pretre, cigue, ambigue, peine, seize, peigne, teint, 
 peindre, sommeil, merveille, Marseille, Corneille, veuf, jeune, 
 peuple, heureuse, glaneuse, deuxieme, pleut, deux, peu, a 
 jeun, eu, j'eusse, jeune, vous etes, ceillade, moelle, ceso- 
 phage, cecumenique, cceur, ceufs, bceufs, cercueil, recueillir. 
 
 abaissement, aigue, aller, ardemment, avec repos, bel, 
 berceuse, bouchers, bouteille, brise, c'est ce que je dis, 
 chanteriez, chevre, chez, chien, chretien, clef, convenient, 
 decide, demandez, de ne recevoir, des, descente, descrip- 
 tion, dessecher, dessus, dusse-je, echange, ecceurer, effort, 
 effronte, eh, elles chantent, emmurer, empire, employer, 
 
82 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 enivrer, ennuyer, enveloppe, ere, esclave, espeYance, essayer, 
 essui, et, eteint, examen, femme, fete, feu, feuille, feutre, 
 grelot, idee, il arrive de Paris, il va de Paris, ils se revoient, 
 impatience, jeuner, j'eus, la cheminee, la petite, le lieu, 
 lentement, le repos, les repas, lettre, mangea, meme, meuble, 
 Meung, Meuse, moment, mouvement, Noel, nous eumes, 
 cedipe, ceil, ceillet, orgueilleux, pa'ien, pareil, parle-je, patri- 
 cien, peut, plumes, poele, premier, prenez-le, prudemment, 
 quotient, redemander, reine, retenir, revenez vite, rougeatre, 
 s'asseyant, second, sein, sembler, sempiternel, s'en aller, 
 seul, severe, sceur, souvenir, tes, tout ce que je ne dis pas, 
 une petite, veine, veux, vieille, vceu, voila ce que c'est, 
 volontiers. 
 
 76-78 
 
 facile, faible, femme, refuser, fifre, effort, chef, nef, juif, 
 cerf, clef, ceufs, neuf crayons, galant, gonfler, guerre, gene- 
 ral, gigantesque, gymnastique, agile, menage, globe, maigre, 
 doigtier, vingtaine, rang, etang, coing, long, sang et eau, 
 agglomeration, suggestion, dedaigner, Avignon, signe, im- 
 pregnation, habitant, harmonie, heure, histoire, horloge, 
 humilite, hyperbole, la haine, la harpe, trahison, cahot, 
 these, theorie, rythme, phonographe, phonetique, philosophe. 
 
 affliger, agglutination, ahuri, apathie, bceufs, bourg, chef- 
 d'oeuvre, compagnon, designe, diagnostique, doigt, £bahi, 
 exagerer, fleche, futur, gagner, garde, germe, gilet, gorge, 
 gris, guttural, gymnaste, habile, hareng, herbe, hier, hon- 
 neur, humain, hygiene, le havre, le heros, Theroine, metier, 
 nerf, neuf, neuf livres, orthographe, photographe, phrase, 
 poing, rage, sang, soif, suggerer, theologie, veuf, vinaigre, 
 vingtieme. 
 
 79 
 
 ici, iniquite*, livide, hair, diable, bien, piece, reliure, pa'ien, 
 brioche, lapin, evincer, indien, impoli, timbre, cointe>esse\ 
 Nimes, vous dormites, nous tinmes, fois, moi, froid, mois, 
 
EXERCISES 83 
 
 foin, besoin, boite, cloitre, grenouille, cueille, fille, quille, 
 papillon, billion, ville, mille, mail, conseil, exil, fil, profil, 
 gentil, gentilshommes, chenil, mil ("millet"). 
 
 abime, bail, baril, billard, bois, chenille, civil, coindica- 
 tion, conseille, croitre, doigt, famille, feuille, fin, fusil, gr£sil, 
 heroique, iambe, idee, il, imminent, impatient, infidele, la- 
 biale, loi, million, moins, nous vimes, oignon, outil, pareil, 
 principal, publia, rigide, riviere, roi, sien, simplement, soin, 
 tranquille, vil, village, vous vintes. 
 
 80-84 
 
 jaloux, jeudi, joie, judicieux, deja, dejeuner, bijou, kepi, 
 kiosque, moka, bifteck, labourer, lecture, liberte, locomotif, 
 lumiere, lycee, eleve, relief, animal, seul, fil, table, gentil- 
 homme, soul, illegal, illimitable, syllabe, villa, fille, billion, 
 billard, travail, fauteuil, machin, m^canicien, menu, miroir, 
 muer, animer, camp, septembre, symbole, impur, faim, 
 Reims, parfum, comble, omniscient, omnipotence, gymnas- 
 tique, automnal, condamner, homme, comme, sommet, im- 
 mense, immoral, nappe, neige, noce, nymphe, gen£rosite, 
 &ne, vent, rien, moyen, ils veulent, honnete, ennemi, ils 
 prennent, innover, Cinna, vigne, recognition, enamourer, 
 enorgueillir, ennui. 
 
 acajou, ajourner, Allah, ann6e, automne, bel, calcul, 
 calomnie, canal, carnaval, coke, cul, damner, enivrer, en- 
 noblir, essaim, examen, famille, felicity, femme, flambeau, 
 gant, gemme, humble, ignition, illettre, illogique, ils flanent, 
 ils viennent, immobile, injuste, inne, innombrable, jamais, 
 je, joli, juin, kilometre, koran, lac, legume, linceul, lingerie, 
 loisir, luxe, lynx, mail, malheur, manger, meler, mimique, 
 monsieur, muraille, mythe, nage, necessite, nid, nuance, 
 nul, omission, omnipotent, omniscience, peuple, recueil, 
 rempart, rossignol, simple, solennel, somme, somnambule, 
 sympathie, tombeau, tranquille, ville. 
 
84 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 85 
 
 coq, fort, votre, sotte, monopole, prose, roseau, notion, 
 emotion, zone, lot, trop, piano, son, savon, chantons, oncle, 
 sombre, nom, mont, son enfant, cone, Rhone, le notre, ro- 
 tisserie, hopital, aout, il, moelle, poele, ceuf, ceufs, sceur, 
 voeu, toi, croix, besoin, boite, chou, poudre, bouche, course, 
 couard, douane, prouesse, inou'i, degout, loyal, voyez. 
 
 alouette, blond, bois, brouette, chose, chouan, clouer, 
 colonel, coude, courage, cyclone, degoute, douce, encore, 
 fois, fouet, fc^er, hotel, jonc, le votre, mon ami, monsieur, 
 nos, non, oui'-dire, pomme, pont, pose, pot, potion, promo- 
 tion, raison, repos, robe, role, rompre, rose, roue, sot, soyez, 
 tombe, trone. 
 
 86-90 
 
 papillon, perpetrer, tapage, frapper, rapport, psychologies 
 compter, exempt, sculpteur, baptiser, temps, il rompt, camp, 
 trop, galop, cep, photographie, quatre, qui-vive, coq, cinq, 
 cinq livres, le cinq Janvier, grecque, rapidity, renaissance; 
 fureur, car, fier, marbre, acheter, boucher, amer, enfer, 
 hiver, messieurs, rhetorique, interrogation, irregulier, hor- 
 rible, courais, courrais, saint, servant, testament, penser, 
 assemblee, visage, pesant, designer, antisocial, contresens, 
 transaction, transitif, transir, asbeste, presbytere, lesquelles, 
 mesdemoiselles, ses, secrets, vers, as, cassis, fils ("son"), 
 ibis, jadis, lis (noun), mars, mceurs, os (singular), pathos, 
 plus-que-parfait, rhinoceros, ensus, us, fleur-de-lis, ses hom- 
 ines, absolu, disciple, esclave, scolastique, schisme, type, utile, 
 theme, athlete, cite, lettre, formation, diplomatic, prophe- 
 tie, fac£tieux, amitie, inimitie, heritier, Gautier, huitieme, 
 modestie, ineptie, balbutier, initier, digestion, galimatias, 
 6tioler, huit, correct, exact, intact, strict, est ("east"), zest. 
 
 aloes, antiseptique, appetit, aristocratie, balsamique, 
 beaucoup^ bis, boulanger, cap, capricieux, catarrhe, cens, 
 champ, chose, cceur, contact, corps, cuiller, descriptive, en 
 
EXERCISES 85 
 
 plus, entier, epitre, est ("is"), ete*, 6ther, 6tioler, fat, Mas, 
 hier, huit, huit livres, le huit decembre, inertie, infect, in- 
 sister, iris, irremediable, j'acquerais, j'acquerrais, je romps, 
 laps, les, les idees, livres, loup, mais, massacre, matiere, 
 mesdames, metis, moitie, monsieur, oasis, obscure, oppose, 
 ouest, ours, papier, pasteur, pathetique, phosphore, piti6, 
 poser, prerogative, pretention, promener, promptitude, 
 psychique, quelquefois, quinze, quoique, raconteur, redomp- 
 ter, regie, relaps, royal, sabot, scandale, scene, sens, sens 
 commun, sept, sept plumes, le sept juillet, septieme, soci^te, 
 sortie, substantiel, suggestion, tact, tante, terre, terreur, 
 tete, tous, transalpin, transept, transit, transsubstantier, 
 vers, vis (noun), volontiers, vraisemblance. 
 
 91 
 
 unique, purete, bu, £cu, chacun, defunt, parfum, un homme, 
 nuage, minuit, fuite, guitare, qualite, bague, 6pique, arguez, 
 nous arguons, aiguille, contiguite, linguiste, aout, maudire, 
 poteau, joyeux, hauteur, soeur, ouvrage, ou, gueVir, essuyant, 
 revue, harangue, ambigue. 
 
 ambiguite, bateau, cceur, contigue, d^nue, emprunter, en- 
 nuyer, feu, gout, guerre, humble, ils arguerent, lingual, 
 mauvais, nu, peur, phonetique, quitter, recu, remuer, rue, 
 soutenir, taquiner, tulipe, un article, utile, vceu, vous arguez. 
 
 92-95 
 
 valet, vivacite*, frivole, levre, xylographie, expansif, 
 exquis, fixer, maxime, pr^texte, examen, exemple, exister, 
 exuberance, hexagone, sexagenaire, excentrique, excitation, 
 exsuder, dixieme, prix, crucifix, veux, choux, chanceux, dix, 
 le six juin, dix-huitieme, larynx, onyx, dix ans, noyer, tuyau, 
 moyen, asseyions, cypres, byzantin, style, sympathie, syn- 
 taxe, zigzag, zouave, azur, assez, 6coutez. 
 
86 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 allez, bazar, croyez, deux, dix-huit, dix-neuf, dynamite, 
 employiez, exact, exaltation, exceder, exciser, exhibition, 
 expirer, exsangue, extension, fauve, flux, furieux, hexametre, 
 inexorable, lynx, lyrique, paix, prefix, rayonner, reve, six, 
 six amis, six crayons, sixieme, soixante, syndicat, texte, 
 thym, venin, vexer, vrai, xylophage, y, yeux, zephyr, zone. 
 
 98-99 
 
 a. Divide these words into syllables as in speech, using pho- 
 netic script: fini, bouquet, grosseur, iniquite, faconner, ma- 
 chine, gagner, mangeons, habiller, bataillon, enfantine, 
 figuier, Juliette, girouette, depuis, secouer, epuise, appoin- 
 tements, socieHe, noblesse, sabre, emplette, hydrophobic, 
 attraction, gonfler, islam, Richelieu, agriculture, agres- 
 sif, microscope, murmure, absolu, quelquefois, excellence, 
 arbrisseau, meurtrier, dextrement, electrique, paysage, tra- 
 vaillons, bague, entree, acheter, redevenir, exemple, philo- 
 sophic, enseigner, mepris, diphthongue, monarchique, con- 
 traction, onctueux. 
 
 actif, amuser, appuy6, aprete, athletique, atlantique, ba- 
 taille, boucherie, cacher, cahier, client, coloniser, condition, 
 conduire, constitution, contree, difficile, discipline, docile, 
 doucement, £crire, eglise, epargner, epique, £ther, exact, 
 fidelite, filtration, fleau, grasseyer, guichet, hebreu, hygiene, 
 incliner, israelite, juger, manquer, marbrerie, municipality, 
 nettoyer, noble, oblige^ offrir, ouvrage, pourprS, regner, 
 s6duisant, songer, Soulier, tourterelles, village. 
 
 b. Divide the same words into syllables as in spelling and 
 writing. 
 
 100-101 
 
 Stress properly the following words and groups: chat, rat, 
 chien; table, chaise, livre; bonnet, chapeau, casquette; 
 animer, subjuguer, diriger; absurdite, ineffacable, artificiel; 
 uniformite, incapacity, in6galit6; impossibility insupporta- 
 
EXERCISES 87 
 
 blement, constitutionellement; dedain, individualisation, vrai, 
 invraisemblablement, intelligence, user, indicible, expansion; 
 des livres, des plumes, des crayons; qu'il dit, qui le dit, il 
 le dit; c'est a moi, remplacez-les, allez vite; un signale- 
 ment, un signe allemand; il les apprit, il les a pris; Jean m'a 
 donne" 9a, il est trop habile, pretez-moi des plumes; vous 
 savez qu'il est la, c'etait le petit tambour, l'enfant 6tait 
 couche*; le capitaine s'arreta, il ne se tint pas satisfait, c'etait 
 fait des managements. 
 
 103 
 
 a. Tell whether the stressed vowel in each of these words is 
 long or short, and why: 6te, inimitie, sec, element, beau, 
 6galit6, conseil, fille, grave, chose, chauffage, mort, derriere, 
 cire, bete, meme, abime, sur, tasse, plaine, negre, saule, 
 zone, feutre, feindre, humble, chambre, sombre, blonde, 
 importance, pont. 
 
 aimable, alors, ame, bientot, chante, chaume, classe, 
 croyance, 61eve, 6paule, fete, fini, gant, grande, j'emprunte, 
 juge, maniere, meute, moij monde, morose, neutre, oncle, 
 pere, quitter, role, seuil, simple, tendre, veille, veine, yeux, 
 zouave. 
 
 b. Pronounce the words, bringing out clearly the difference 
 between the long and short vowels. 
 
 104-108 
 
 Read these phrases, making the proper liaisons: Bien 
 aimable, trop aim6, dernier avis, nuit et jour, chez eux, pied- 
 a-terre, du bceuf a la mode, un long hiver, de bons amis, deux 
 enfants, il y en a, en avant, rien a faire, mon enfant, un 
 homme, vous avez, ils ont, les eglises, de grands edifices, ces 
 61£ves, un grand homme, de petits oiseaux, des langues 
 6trang&res, des bains agr^ables, les bras 6tendus, des amis 
 heureux, faut-il, 6crivent-ils, parlons-en, allez-y, tres etonne, 
 plus heureux, moins attach^, dans un livre, sans amis, en 
 
88 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Italie, devant elle, sous un ciel bleu, selon elle, de temps en 
 temps, mot a mot, pas a pas, tout a coup, de plus en plus, 
 vis-a-vis, tout a l'heure, un nom etranger, lui et elle, un 
 objet evident, ces huit livres, dix-huit, ses onze enfants, en 
 eau, en haut, les heros, les heroines, les auteurs, les hau- 
 teurs, mes haines, des habits, ses yeux, aux hommes, les 
 haricots, un i, un nid, des harpes, je les hais. 
 
 109 
 Point out in these words the cases of assimilations which are 
 regular or might occur in rapid speech: absolument, abstenir, 
 obtenir, medecin, tout de suite, une tasse de the*, ils ne 
 savent pas, femme de chambre, la-dessous, en face de lui, 
 coup de pied, a cote de sa chaise, le second, une masse de 
 baigneurs, anecdote, obscur, beaucoup de choses. 
 
PHONETIC READINGS 
 
 (Vowels in bold-face type are to be stressed. Except when the 
 stress has been shifted, for emphasis or other reasons, a stressed vowel 
 marks the end of a stress-group. A single vertical line (|) marks the 
 end of a breath-group. It denotes a break in the continuity of the 
 breath, and while one does not always need to take breath at the end 
 of such a group there should be no pause for breath within it. Two 
 vertical lines (||) mark a full stop or a decided pause. A small circle 
 ( ) below a voiced consonant denotes that, in fluent reading, it is 
 unvoiced by assimilation. To simplify the reading, spaces have been 
 left between words, and consonants resulting from liaison stand alone. 
 This division is not phonetic, however, and it should be remembered 
 that a stress-group is treated as a single word, and consists of a succes- 
 sion of syllables with stress on the last. A single consonant is always 
 pronounced with the following vowel.) 
 
 1. la sal da klais 1 
 
 vwasi la sal da klais. la meitr e le z eleiv s5 da la sal 
 da klais. la meitr e dbu dva la klais. le z eleiv s5 t asi 
 syr de ba. la meitra pari o z eleiv. il poiz de kestjS. le 
 z eleiv repSid. 
 
 la meitr. — mari, w e la taibl? 
 
 mari. — vwala la taibl. 
 
 la meitr. — tre bjg. 3a, w e la plym? 
 
 3a. — la plum . . . 
 
 la meitr. — me n5! me n5! pa la plum, la plym! 
 
 3a. — la plim. 
 
 la meitr. — no no no no n5! ekute e repete; y, y, y. 
 
 3a. — y, y, y. 
 
 la meitr. — tre bjg! metna; ly, ly, ly. 
 
 1 This exercise was suggested by one in the Fransk Laesebog of 
 O. Jespersen and V. Stigaard, Copenhagen, 1915. 
 
 89 
 
90 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 3cL — ly, ly, ly. 
 is la meitr. — ply, plym, la plym. 
 
 3a. — ply, plym, la plym. 
 
 la meitr. — b5. metna, 3a, w e la plym? 
 
 5a. — la plym e sur . . . 
 
 la meitr. — me mo n ami! 
 20 3a. — syr! syr la taibl. 
 
 la meitr. — me wi! metna, repete: la plym e syr la 
 taibl. 
 
 3a. — la plym e syr la taibl. 
 
 mari. — pard5, msj0. 5 son. 
 25 la meitr. — e bj£! la lso e fini. o rvwair me z afa. 
 
 la klais. — o rvwair masj0. 
 
 2. <£ n adrwa kalkylatceir || 
 
 ce poivra savwajair | ragarde avek avi la butik d ce 
 bula3e.ll le pti p£ etale syr yn taibl | eksite so n apeti, | 
 me z il n ave pa z de su da sa po$.|| 
 
 affi il aitr e dmaid: || "kobje se pti p£?"|| — "duiz pur 
 S 5iz su/' repo 1 bula3e.ll — "a! duiz pur 5iz su; | tre 
 bj6.|| 3 ore doik 5iz poti pe pur di su, | dis pur n0 su, | 
 noef pur ui su, | nit pur se su, | set pur si su, | sis pur s6 
 su, I s§ik pur katra su, | katra pur trwa su, | trwa pur d0 
 su, I d0 pur dfe su, I e dfe pur rj6.|| e bjg, msj0, | ce soel 
 to syfi; || avek votra permisjS, 3a mci3re salqi si.|| mersi, 
 msj0, I e o rvwair!'' || 
 
 3. la ptit fiij e 1 kSdyktceir || 
 
 yn patit fiij e t asiiz soel | da 1 kw6 d ce vag6 da $me d 
 feir.|| la kodyktosir pais pur praidra le bije; || la ptit 
 fiij prezait de bije da dmi plas.|| 
 
 — kel 013 ave vu? | lqi di 1 kodyktoeir.|| 
 
PHONETIC READINGS 91 
 
 — 5 e seik a, masj0.|| s 
 
 — vu n ave pa ply d seik a?|| 
 
 — n5, masj0; || a $me d feir 3 e seik a, | a la mez5 3 a 
 n e set. || 
 
 — a . . . I e vu vwaja3e z esi soel?|| 
 
 — n5, masj0, | set dam laba, o milj0 dy vag5, | e ma 10 
 tait.|| 
 
 — e kel 013 votra tait a t el?|| 
 
 — el a vetncev a.|| 
 
 — el n a k vetncev a?|| 
 
 — wi, m9sj0.|| 15 
 
 — kel ai3 ave t el 1 ane dernjeir?|| 
 
 — el ave vetnoev a.|| 
 
 — e kel 013 ave t el 1 ane avfi?|| 
 
 — vetncev a; || el a tu^uir vetnoev a.|| 
 
 4. 1 urs e le d0 $asceir || 
 
 d0 Jasoesr eja bazwe d ar3a, | aleir truve ce mar$a d 
 furyir, | e hji diir: || "da la motaji vwazin, | il j a tie n urs 
 enorm do nu z avo truve la pist.|| nu som sert£ d la tqe.|| 
 si vu vule nu done sa fra, | nu vu z aportro bjeto sa po."|| 
 
 la marja leer dona le sa fra, | e le d0 Sasoeir partiir pur 5 
 la motaji.|| a pern j ete t il z arive | ka 1 urs s avasa ver 
 0, o pti tro, I a pusa de grojima z efrejfi.|| 
 
 lorska le $asoe:r 1 apersyir, | il fyr sezi d terroeir | e $er- 
 $e:r le mwaje d ejape o terribl animal. || 1 dfe d grepa syr 
 ce n arbr, | e 1 oitra s ku$a par tesr, | rate so sufl e fi 1 mo:r.|| 10 
 1 urs ve la flere da tu le kote; || me vwaja k il na bu3e 
 pa I e k il na respire pa, | il la kry mo:r, | e s elwana sa 
 lqi fer da mal, | kar le z urs n em pa le kada:vr.|| 
 
 ka 1 urs y dispary, | la $asoe:r ki ete syr 1 arbra desadi, | 
 s aproja d so kopano e lqi dmada, | pur s moke da lui: || 15 
 "k e s ka 1 urs t a di t a 1 oreij?"|| 
 
92 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 — "il m a di," | repodi 1 oitr, | "k il no fo pa vasdro la 
 po d 1 urs | ava d 1 avwar tue."|| 
 
 5. <£ mar$e || 
 
 ce vjej avair fe vniir ce mets6 | pur vwair sa fam tre 
 malad.|| la mets6 | ki konese so n om, | domaid kon arai3 
 daboir sez onoreir.|| 
 
 "swat," | di 1 avair, | "30 vu donre d0 sa fra, | ko vu 
 tyje ma fam u k vu la gerisje."|| 
 
 la metse aksept, | me malgre se sw£, | la fam moe:r.|| 
 kelko ta z apre, | il vje reklame so n ar3a.ll 
 
 "kel £LT5aV\ di 1 avair. || "ave vu geri ma fam?"!! 
 
 — "n5, || 30 n 1 e pa geri."|| 
 10 — "aloir vu 1 ave tqe?"|| 
 
 — H tqe!|| o I kel orceir!|| vu save bjg ko n5."|| 
 
 — "e bj6, || pqisko vu n 1 ave ni geri | ni tqe, | ko 
 dmadevu?"!! 
 
 6. le ty e le kafe || 
 
 1 aspe d la ry | da le vil fraseiz | a kelkojoiz do parti- 
 kylje.|| le z abita pas boku d ta dooir | e le ry so rady 
 osi agreabl ko posibl.|| 
 
 da le grad vil, | le ry so lar3 e plate d arbr; || se prom- 
 
 s nad s apel bulvair.|| le nobr0 bulvair | ki travers pari a 
 
 tu sais I kotriby a feir do set vil | la ply bel kapital dy 
 
 m5id; || le z espas z uveir | ki s nom plas, | so rady ge par 
 
 de z arbr e de fotein.|| 
 
 la parti d la ry rezerve o pjetS | e kuvert d asfalt u d 
 IO gravje, | il j a de ba su lez arbr | u 1 p0 so rpoze.|| n 
 aroz frekama le ry a n ete, | pur ape$e la pusjeir d s 
 elve.ll 
 
 do nobr0 kafe | deborda syr le trotwair [ evit s0 ki pais | 
 
PHONETIC READINGS 93 
 
 a s aswair a 1 oibra da leer ta:t | dava da 30H ptit tasbla da 
 marbra blfi.|| boku d 3a vo s i aswair: || da 3cen z ofisje | 15 
 a bel yniform bl0 e rui3, | gala d oir | e saibr eklata; || da 
 vj0 mesj0 I ki fym gravma leer sigair | a liza 1 3urnal; || de 
 negosja | ki diskyt lez afeir | a byva leer bok da bjeir; || 
 de dam a twalet ge | avek leer mari u leer freir; || de 3oen 
 3a da lwaziir | ki rgard le pasa; || dez etydja | ki ri e ki 20 
 koz a ot vwa | a fyma de sigaret u d gros pip.|| 
 
 le garso d kafe, | afere, | sa glis atra le $eiz e le tajbl, | 
 la servjet su 1 bra, | balasa adrwatma syr da pti plato | 
 de veir 16 z e mgis, | de tais da kafe, | da pti veir d korjak.|| 
 
 on ata la brui de bu$5 ki sot, | la gluglu de buteij, | la 25 
 $ok de veir | e mil otra brqi dy mem 3<iir.|| 
 
 boku d 3a pais yn graid parti d la 3urne o kafe.|| set 
 o kafe k le komersa fo suva lez afeir, | ka 1 vwaja303ir 
 ekri se letr, | k le z etydja diskyt la politik | e k le flanoeir 
 pais la ta.|| s e t o kafe k le komi s delais d leer fatig | a 30 
 3wa yn parti d bijair u d kart. || 
 
 de myzisjg lwe par la proprieteir dy kafe | fat ataidra 
 da ta z a ta | yn myzik agreabl.|| 
 
 7. portre de serf 1 !! 
 
 1 5 vwa serte z animo faru§, | de mail e de famel, | repady 
 par la kapaji, | nwair, livid, e tu bryle dy soleij, | ata$e z 
 a la teir | k il fuij e k il ramy | avek yn opinjatrate ev§i 
 sibl.|| il z 5 kom yn vwa artikyle, | e kat il sa leiv syr 
 leer pje, | il mSitr yn fas ymein; || e a n efe, | il so de z 
 om.|| il sa rtiir la nui da de tanjeir | u il viiv da pe nwair, 
 d o e da rasin; || il z eparn o z oitra z om la pein da same, | 
 da labure | e da rkcejiir pur viivr, | e merit eisi | da n pa 
 maike d sa pfi | kil z same.|| 
 
 la bryjeir. 
 
 1 This selection is an illustration of slow and emphatic style. 
 
94 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 8. la grammcir 1 1| 
 
 sein pramjeir.|| 
 3a, |pqima$y, | pip bla:$.|| 
 
 (o lve dy rido, | 3a rai3 d la vesel | dava t ce byfe ki s 
 truv a go:$, | o pramje pla.||) 
 
 3a. — 1 anui d la vesel | kat 5 1 a r&3e | s e k i fo la 
 dera3e.ll (ce saladje lqi e$ap de mg e s ka:s.||) 
 
 ma$y (atra). — paf!|| 
 
 3a. — sakrabl0!| la saladje dore!|| 
 5 ma$y. — ty travaij bj8, | twa!|| 
 
 3a. — a!| s n e ka 1 veterineir! . . .|| vu m ave fe poeir.|| 
 
 ma$y. — k e s ka va dir msj0 kabusa, | to meitr, | a 
 vwaja set fabrik da kastajiet?|| 
 
 3a (ramasa le morso). — i n la vera pa . . .|| 3 ateir le 
 10 morso o fo dy 3ardS . . .|| 3 e la yn patit fois . . .|| pre d 1 
 abrikotje . . .|| s e propr | e gazone.|| 
 
 blai$ (atra par la drwat, | pramje pla ||). — 3a!|| (aper- 
 sava ma$y.) a!| bo3U:r msj0 ma$y.|| 
 
 ma$y (salqa). — madmwazel.H 
 15 bl&:$ (a 3ft). — ty n a pa vy 1 saladje dore?|| 
 
 3a (ka$a le morso da so tablie ||). — n5, madmwazel.|| 
 
 blai$. — 3a 1 $er$ | pur y met de freiz.|| 
 
 3a. — i dwat et reste da 1 byfe d la sal a ma3e.ll 
 
 bla:$. — 3 ve vwair . . .| s e t etona la katite d vesel 
 20 ki dispare . . .|| 
 
 3a. — n kais purta rj6 . . .|| (bla:$ so:r par la go:$, | 
 pramje pla.||) 
 
 1 This selection is an illustration of familiar conversational style. 
 
PHONETIC READINGS 95 
 
 se:n d0 || 
 3a, I ma$y, | pin" kabusa || 
 
 ma$y. — a bj6, | ty a d 1 apl5, twa!|| 
 
 3<i. — dam, I si el save k so saladje e kase . . .| sa lqi fre 
 d la pein, | a set domwazel.|| 
 
 ma$y. — a sa!| 3a vje pur la va$ . . .|| 
 
 3a. — o!| se t inytil.|| 5 
 
 ma$y. — purkwa?|| 
 
 3&. — el e mort || il pare k el ave t avale de pti morso 
 d karaf . . .| mal atere.|| 
 
 ma$y. — a!| vwala!| ty 11 kr0:z pa z ase.|| 
 
 3&. — s e vre . . .| me i fe si $0 $pui de mwa!|| 10 
 
 ma$y. — a sa!| set 03urdui 1 gra 3Uir!| to met dwa t 
 et da tu se z eta.|| 
 
 3a. — pufkwa?|| 
 
 ma$y. — s e da d0z ceir | k va elir 1 prezidft dy komis 
 agrikol d arpa3S.ll 15 
 
 3a. — krwaje vu k mosj0 kabusa swa rnome?|| 
 
 ma$y. — 3 n a dut pa.|| 3 e de3a by trez ver d v6 | 
 a so n etasj5.|| 
 
 3&. — vre? || e bjg, sa n pare pa.|| 
 
 ma$y. — 30 kabal pur to me:tr.|| s e 3yst, | 3 e la pra- 20 
 tik d la mez5.|| 
 
 3&. — il a de kokyrfi | kj e t de male, | msj0 Jafinc, | de 
 n asje n avwe . . .|| dopqi de mwa | i n f e k koze avek 
 le peizfi . . ,|| 
 
 ma$y. — i fe mj0 k sa.|| dimai$ dernje, | il a ete a 25 
 pari, I e il a n e rvony | avek yn sekaten do pti balo ru:3 | 
 ki s aleiv tu soel || e i le z a distribute gratis | o z of a d 
 la klas agrikol. || 
 
 3a. — a!| s e tre foir!| 
 
 ma$y. — wi, | me 3 e pare 1 ku || 3 e repady 1 brui | k 30 
 le bal5 | atire la greil , . .|| e le z a tus krove.|| 
 
96 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 3fi. — kel diplomat ka s per ma$y!|| 
 ma$y. — nu n vulo pa cl $afine || a ba $afine!|| tie n 
 etriga . . .|| ki fe vnir d etaip | so vetermeir!|| 
 35 3a. — a!| vwala!|| 
 
 ma$y. — s k i nu fo, s e msj0 kabusa | tie n om sobr 
 . . .} e estrqi! . . .| kar p0 disr k s e t ce savS, | salqi 
 la!|| 
 3a. — ka t a sa . . .| i rest de z ce:r z atjeir da so ka- 
 40 bine, | avek tie liv a la m6 . . .| 1 ceij fiks . . .| la teit imo- 
 bil . . .| kom s i n koprane pa.|| 
 ma$y. — i refle$i.|| 
 
 3&. — i kr0iz . . .|| (apersava kabusa. ||) lo wasi . . .| 
 (motra le morso dy saladje.||) 3 ve feir kom lqi | 3 ve 
 45 kr0ize.|| 
 
 labiS. 
 9. la $c:n e 1 rozo || 
 
 la $em | tie 3Uir | dit o rozo:|| 
 "vu z ave bje sy3e | d akyze la naty:r;|| 
 ce rwatale | pur vu | e t tie paza fardo;|| 
 
 la mweidra va | ki d avatyir | 
 5 fe ride la fas da 1 o,|| 
 
 vu z obli:3 I a bese la te:t;|| 
 sapada ka mo fr5, || o kokaiz pareij,|| 
 no kota d arete | le rej5 dy sole:j,|| 
 
 braiv 1 efoir da la tfipeit.|| 
 10 tu vu z e t akilS, || tu ma saibla zefi:r.|| 
 
 akoir I si vu nesje z a 1 abri dy fceja.'3 | 
 
 do 3a kuivra la vwazina:3,| 
 
 vu n orje pa to: t a sufri:r;|| 
 
 3a vu defadre da 1 ora:3:|| 
 15 me vu nese | la ply suva | 
 
 syr le z ymird bo:r | de rwajoim dy v<i.|| 
 
 la natyir | aveir vu | ma saibla bje n e3yst."|| 
 
 "votra kopasj5"|| lqi repodi 1 arbyst,|| 
 
PHONETIC READINGS 97 
 
 "pair d de b5 natyrel; || me kite so susi:|| 
 
 le v& mo so mwe k a vu roduta:bl;|| 2 o 
 
 30 pli e no ro pa.|| vu z ave 3ysk isi | 
 
 kotro loer ku z epuvataibl | 
 
 reziste | sa kurbe lo do;|| 
 me z atad5 la fg"|| kom il dize se mo,| 
 dy bu do 1 oriz5 | akuir avek fyri | 25 
 
 lo ply terriblo de z affi | 
 ko lo no:r y parte | 3ysko la | da se fla.|| 
 
 1 arbro tje b5; || lo rozo pli.|| 
 
 lo va roduiblo se z efoir, | 
 
 e fe si bj6 I k il derasino | 30 
 
 sohji do ki la te:t | o sjel ete vwazino,| 
 e do le pje tu$e t a 1 apiir de mo:r.|| 
 
 la foten. 
 
 10. a kwa b3 atofidr || 
 
 a kwa b5 atfiidr | 
 le z wazo de bwa?|| 
 1 wazo lo ply tdidr | 
 $fcito da ta vwa.|| 
 
 ko dj0 mSitr u vwal | S 
 
 le z astro de sj0!|| 
 la ply pyir etwal | 
 briijo da te z j0.|| 
 
 k avril ronuvel | 
 
 lo 3arde a flo3ir!|| io 
 
 la floeir la ply bel | 
 
 flosri da to kceir.ll 
 
98 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 se t wazo da fla:m,| 
 se t astra dy 3U:r,| 
 15 seta floeir da 1 a:m,| 
 
 s apela 1 amu:r.|| 
 
 viktoir ygo. 
 
 11. 1 albatras 
 
 suvfl I pur s amyze | le z oma d ekipai3 
 prcna de z albatros, | vasta z wazo de meir,| 
 ki suizva, | edola kopajio da vwajai3,| 
 la naviira glisft | syr le gufra z ame:r.|| 
 
 5 a peina | le z 5 t il depoze syr le pl€trS,I 
 
 ka se rwa da 1 azyir, | maladrwa | e 5t0,| 
 leisa pit0izamfi | leer gr&ida z ela blai$ 
 koma de z avirS | trene r a kote d 0.|| 
 
 sa vwaja3ce:r ele | kom il e go:$ e vce:l!|| 
 10 lui, nageir si bo, | k il e komik e le!| 
 
 1 63 n agasa sa bek | avek de bryla g03:l,| 
 1 oitra mim a bwata 1 1 efirma ki vole!|| 
 
 la pocit e sablaibl o prgisa de nyei| 
 ki 5:ta la tapeit | e sa ri da 1 ar$e;|| 
 15 egzile syr la sol | o milj0 de ye:,| 
 
 se z eila da 3e<i 1 apeiSa da mar$e.|| 
 
 bodleir. 
 
FRENCH SELECTIONS FOR 
 ORAL PRACTICE 
 
 1. A FABLE IN VERSE, WITH INTERLINEAR 
 PHONETIC SCRIPT 
 
 Une grenouille vit un bceuf 
 yngranuija vitoebcef 
 
 Qui lui sembla de belle taille. 
 kilqisabla dabeltajj 
 
 Elle qui n'£tait pas grosse en tout comme un ceuf, 
 efo kinetepagrois atu komdenoef 
 
 Envieuse, s'etend, et s'enfle, et se travaille 
 avjoiza seta esa:fl esatrava:j 
 
 Pour egaler Tanimal en grosseur; 
 puregale lanimal agrosceir 
 
 Disant: "Regardez bien, ma sceur, 
 diza ragardebje masceir 
 
 Est-ce assez? dites-moi; n'y suis-je point encore? 
 esase ditmwa nisqi3pwetako:r 
 
 — Nenni — M'y voici done? — Point du tout — M'y voila? 
 
 nani mivwasidoik pwedytu mivwala 
 
 — Vous n'en approchez point." La chetive p£core 
 
 vunanapro$epwe la$eti:vpeko:r 
 
 S'enfla si bien qu'elle creva. 
 sdfla sibje kelkrava 
 
 Le monde est plein de gens qui ne sont pas plus sages: 
 Iam5:depleda3a kinas5paplysa:3 
 
 Tout bourgeois veut batir comme les grands seigneurs, 
 tubur3wa vobatisr komlegrasejiceir 
 
 Tout petit prince a des ambassadeurs; 
 tupatipreis adezabasadoeir 
 
 Tout marquis veut avoir des pages, 
 tumarki V0tavwardepa:3 
 
 La Fontaine, la Grenouille qui veut sefaire 
 aussi grosse que le bceuf. 
 99 
 
100 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 2. NARRATIVE PROSE 
 
 M me Loisel connut la vie horrible des necessiteux. Elle 
 prit son parti, d'ailleurs, tout d'un coup, heroiquement. II 
 fallait payer cette dette effroyable. Elle payerait. On ren- 
 voya la bonne; on changea de logement; on loua sous les 
 toits une mansarde. 
 
 Elle connut les gros travaux du menage, les odieuses be- 
 sognes de la cuisine. Elle lava la vaisselle, usant ses ongles 
 roses sur les poteries grasses et le fond des casseroles. Elle 
 savonna le linge sale, les chemises et les torchons, qu'elle 
 faisait secher sur une corde; elle descendit a la rue, chaque 
 matin, les ordures, et monta l'eau, s'arretant a chaque etage 
 pour souffler. Et, vetue comme une femme du peuple, elle 
 alia chez le fruitier, chez l'epicier, chez le boucher, le panier 
 au bras, marchandant, injuriee, defendant sou a sou son 
 miserable argent. 
 
 II fallait chaque mois payer des billets, en renouveler 
 d'autres, obtenir du temps. 
 
 Le mari travaillait, le soir, a mettre au net les comptes 
 d'un commercant, et la nuit, souvent, il faisait de la copie 
 a cinq sous la page. 
 
 Et cette vie dura dix ans. 
 
 Au bout de dix ans, ils avaient tout restitue*, tout, avec le 
 taux de l'usure, et Y accumulation des inteYets superposes. 
 
 Madame Loisel semblait vieille, maintenant. Elle etait 
 devenue la femme forte, et dure, et rude, des menages 
 pauvres. Mai peignee, avec les jupes de travers et les mains 
 rouges, elle parlait haut, lavait a grande eau les planchers. 
 Mais parfois, lorsque son mari etait au bureau, elle s'as- 
 seyait aupres de la fenetre, et elle songeait a cette soiree 
 d'autrefois, a ce bal ou elle avait 6te si belle et si fet6e. 
 
 Que serait-il arrive si elle n' avait point perdu cette pa- 
 rure? Qui sait? qui sait? Comme la vie est singuliere, 
 
SELECTIONS FOR ORAL PliACTICi 101 
 
 changeante! Comme il faut pen de chose pour vousperdre 
 ou vous sauver! 
 
 Guy de Maupassant, la Parure. 
 
 3. DRAMATIC PROSE 
 
 Gaston. Eh bien! cher beau-pere, comment gouvernez- 
 vous ce petit d^sespoir? £tes-vous toujours furieux contre 
 votre panier perce de gendre? Avez-vous pris votre parti? 
 
 Poirier. Non, monsieur; mais j'ai pris un parti. 
 
 Gaston. Violent? 
 
 Poirier. Necessaire. 
 
 Gaston. Y a-t-il de l'indiscretion a vous demander? 
 
 Poirier. Au contraire, monsieur, c'est une explication 
 que je vous dois . . . En vous donnant ma fille et un mil- 
 lion, je m'imaginais que vous consentiriez a prendre une 
 position. 
 
 Gaston. Ne revenons pas la-dessus, je vous prie. 
 
 Poirier. Je n'y reviens que pour memoire. Je reconnais 
 que j'ai eu tort d'imaginer qu'un gentilhomme consentirait 
 a s'occuper comme un homme, et je passe condamnation : 
 mais, dans mon errewyje vous ai laisse" mettre ma maison 
 sur un ton que je ne peux pas soutenir a moi seul, et puis- 
 qu'il est bien convenu que nous n'avons, a nous deux, que 
 ma fortune, il me parait juste, raisonnable et necessaire de 
 supprimer de mon train ce qu'il me faut rabattre de mes 
 esperances. J'ai done songe a quelques reformes que vous 
 approuverez sans doute . . . 
 
 Gaston. Allez, Sully! allez, Turgot! coupez, taillez, j'y 
 consens! Vous me trouvez en belle humeur, profitez-en. 
 
 Poirier. Je suis ravi de votre condescendance. J'ai 
 done decide, arrete, ordonne* . . . 
 
 Gaston. Permettez, beau-pere! si vous avez d£cid£, ar- 
 rete, ordonn6, il me parait superflu que vous me consultiez. 
 
102 A HANDBOCK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Poirier. Aussi ne vous consul t^-je pas; je vous mets au 
 courant, voila tout. 
 
 Gaston. Ah! vous ne me consultez pas? 
 
 Poirier. Cela vous etonne? 
 
 Gaston. Un peu; mais je vous Tai dit, je suis en belle 
 humeur. 
 
 Poirier. Ma premiere re*forme, mon cher garcon . . . 
 
 Gaston. Vous voulez dire mon cher Gaston, je pense? 
 La langue vous a fourche. 
 
 Poirier. Cher Gaston, cher garcon! c'est tout un! De 
 beau-pere a gendre, la familiarity est permise. 
 
 Gaston. Et de votre part, monsieur Poirier, elle me 
 flatte et m'honore. Vous disiez done que votre premiere 
 r£forme? . . . 
 
 Poirier. C'est, monsieur, que vous me fassiez le plaisir de 
 ne plus me gouailler. Je suis las de vous servir de plastron. 
 
 Gaston. La, la, monsieur Poirier, ne vous fachez pas! 
 
 Poirier. Je sais tres bien que vous me tenez pour un 
 tr&s petit personnage et pour un tres petit esprit . . . mais . . . 
 
 Gaston. Ou prenez-vous cela? 
 
 Poirier. Mais vous saurez qu'il y a plus de cervelle dans 
 ma pantoufle que sous votre chapeau. 
 
 Gaston. Ah! fi! voila qui est trivial . . . vous parlez 
 comme un homme du commun. 
 
 Poirier. Je ne suis pas un marquis, moi! 
 
 Gaston. Ne le dites pas si haut, on finirait par le croire. 
 
 Augier, le Gendre de M. Poirier, III, 2. 
 
 4. CLASSIC VERSE 
 
 Don Rodrigue. — Sous moi done cette troupe s'avance 
 Et porte sur le front une male assurance. 
 Nous partimes cinq cents; mais, par un prompt renfort, 
 Nous nous vimes trois mille en arrivant au port, 
 
SELECTIONS FOR ORAL PRACTICE 103 
 
 Tant, a nous voir marcher avec un tel visage, 
 Les plus epouvant^s reprenaient de courage! 
 J'en cache les deux tiers, aussitot qu'arrives, 
 Dans le fond des vaisseaux qui lors furent trouves; 
 Le reste, dont le nombre augmentait a toute heure, 
 Brulant d'impatience, autour de moi demeure, 
 Se couche contre terre, et sans faire aucun bruit, 
 Passe une bonne part d'une si belle nuit. 
 Par mon commandement, la garde en fait de meme, 
 Et, se tenant cachee, aide a mon strategeme; 
 Et je feins hardiment d'avoir recu de vous 
 L'ordre qu'on me voit suivre et que je donne a tous. 
 
 Corneille, le Cid, IV, 3. 
 
 5. LYRIC VERSE 
 
 (Test le moment crepusculaire. 
 J' admire, assis sous un portail, 
 Ce reste de jour dont s'6claire 
 La derniere heure du travail. 
 
 Dans les terres de nuit baign^es 
 Je contemple, 6mu, les haillons 
 D'un vieillard qui jette a poign6es 
 La moisson future aux sillons. 
 
 Sa haute silhouette noire 
 Domine les profonds labours. 
 On sent a quel point il doit croire 
 A la fuite utile des jours. 
 
 II marche dans la plaine immense, 
 Va, vient, lance la graine au loin, 
 Rouvre sa main, et recommence, 
 Et je medite, obscur temoin. 
 
104 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Pendant que, deployant ses voiles, 
 L'ombre, ou se mele une rumeur, 
 Semble elargir jusqu'aux etoiles 
 Le geste auguste du semeur. 
 
 Victor Hugo, "Saison des eemailles: le Soir," 
 from Chansons des rues et des bois. 
 
INDEX 
 
 (References are to pages) 
 
 Accents: 25 
 Alphabet: 24 
 Analysis: 1 
 Assimilation: 66 
 
 Back Vowels: 8 
 Bibliography: 70 
 
 Cedilla: 26 
 
 Classification of Consonants: 15 
 Connected Speech, Stress in: 61 
 Consonant-Letters : 
 Double: 26 
 Final: 27 
 Consonants: 15 
 
 Classification: 15 
 Explosive: 17 
 
 [b, p, d, t]: 17; [g, kj: 18 
 Fricative: 19 
 
 [v,f,z,s]:19; [5, SI: 20 
 Lateral: 21 
 [1]:21 
 Nasal: 20 
 
 [m, n, jij: 20 
 Similar in French and Eng- 
 lish: 16 
 Trilled: 21 
 [r, R]:21 
 
 Diaeresis: 25 
 Diphthongs: 4 
 Division, Syllabic: 59 
 
 In Speech: 59 
 
 In Spelling and Writing: 60 
 Double Consonant-Letters: 26 
 
 Elision: 67 
 Emotional Stress: 62 
 Explosive Consonants: 17 
 
 Final Consonant-Letters: 27 
 Foreign Words: 56 
 Fricative Consonants: 19 
 Front Vowels: 6 
 Rounded : 9 
 Groups, Word: 61 
 
 Intonation: 68 
 
 21 
 
 Lateral Consonant : 
 
 Letters: 26 
 
 Double Consonant-Letters: 
 
 26 
 Final Consonant- Letters: 27 
 Letters and Signs: 24 
 
 Liaison: 64 
 
 Logical Stress: 62 
 
 Mixed Vowels: 9 
 
 Names, Proper: 57 
 Nasal Consonants: 20 
 Nasal Vowels: 11 
 
 Oral Vowels: 4 
 
 Pitch: 67 
 
 Production of Speech-Sounds: 1 
 
 Proper Names: 57 
 
 Quantity, Vowel: 63 
 
 105 
 
106 
 
 A HANDBOOK OF FRENCH PHONETICS 
 
 Relation of French Sounds to 
 
 French Spelling : 2 
 Rounded Front Vowels: 9 
 
 Semiconsonants: 13 
 
 BJ: 13; [q, w]: 14 
 Signs, Letters and: 24 
 Single Word, Stress in a: 61 
 Sounds: 1 
 
 of French: 2 
 
 Production of Speech- 
 Sounds: 1 
 Relation of French Sounds 
 
 and French Spelling: 2 
 Table of Sounds, Usual Spell- 
 ings and Examples: 22 
 Speech: 
 
 Stress in Connected Speech: 
 
 61 
 Syllabic Division in Speech: 
 59 
 Speech-Sounds, Production of: 1 
 Spelling: 
 
 Relation of French Sounds 
 
 to French Spelling: 2 
 Syllabic Division in Spelling: 
 
 60 
 Table of Sounds, Usual Spell- 
 ings and Examples: 22 
 
 Stress: 61 
 
 In a Single Word: 61 
 In Connected Speech: 61 
 Logical and Emotional: 62 
 
 Syllabic Division : 59 
 In Speech: 59 
 In Spelling and Writing: 60 
 
 Synthesis: 59 
 
 Table of Sounds, Usual Spellings 
 
 and Examples: 22 
 Trilled Consonants: 21 
 
 Vowels: 4 
 Back: 8 
 
 [a, o]:8;[o, u]:9 
 Front: 6 
 
 [i]: 6; [e, e, a]: 7 
 Mixed: 9 
 
 [y, 0, ce]: 10; [o]: 11 
 Nasal: 11 
 
 [e, a, 5]: 12; [ce]: 13 
 Oral: 4 
 
 Rounded Front: 9 
 Vowel Quantity: 63 
 
 Word: 
 
 Foreign Words: 56 
 
 Stress in a Single Word: 61 
 
 Word Groups: 61 
 Writing, Syllabic Division in: 60 
 
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