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4.5: Phonétique

  • Page ID
    219902
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    Les voyelles moyennes

    Native English speakers often have problems differentiating between [e]-[ɛ], [ø]-[œ], and [o]-[ɔ]. The main distinction to be made here is that the first vowel of each of these pairs is more closed than the second, meaning that the mouth is not as open.
    Furthermore, when compared to similar vowel sounds of English, the French vowel is always pure and constant. Compare and repeat the pronunciation of the following:

    [e]-[ɛ]
    parlé-parlais
    premier-première
    thé-thème
    boulanger-boulangère
    [ø]-[œ]
    chanteuse-chanteur
    heureuse-heure
    peut-peuvent
    neutre-neuf
    [o]-[ɔ]
    dodo-dormir
    pauvre-Hanovre
    (le) nôtre-notre
    gauffre-coffre

    Now repeat the following phrases being careful to distinguish the vowel pairs.

    [e]-[ɛ]
    Chez l'étudiant typique il y a un téléphone, une étagère, une poubelle, un réfrigérateur, une cuisinière et des toilettes.
    [ø]-[œ]
    Ma soeur a peur des jeunes fleurs. Elle a un peu mal aux yeux et au coeur quand il pleut le jeudi.
    [o]-[ɔ]
    L'eau est bonne. Le bateau arrive au port. Un homme avec un chapeau attend en sortant son bol plein de carottes.

    Aknowledgment: some parts of this page are partially adopted from Francais Interactif.


    4.5: Phonétique is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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