FRENCH QUICK GUIDE - Choral u, û du, dû, fut, murmure [y]

Dr. Stephen Morscheck - 2021 no English equivalent –

(P. Bernac “The Interpretation of French Song” p. 20) [u] lips & [i] tongue
1. In French every syllable must contain only one vowel sound. eu, eû, œu, dieu, jeûne, nœud [ ø ] [œ ]
2. When singing, every syllable begins with a consonant and the rest is a has no English equivalent
vowel sound: ca-pa-ble, a-mu-sant, a-do-rer. (the rare exception: cru-el) ue ue after c or g: cercueil, orgueil [o] lips & [e] tongue
3. Stress is fixed at the end of the word. One sound for choral
4. For determining pronunciation, syllabification is key: – NASALS NASALS NASALS
-single consonant goes to the right: ca-pa-ble When m or -not followed by a vowel-letter m or n will not be sounded
-letter followed by l or r goes to the right: é-clos, mai-gre n is: or vowel sound, and the preceding vowel is
-ch, gn, ph, and th go to the right: mou-choir, a-gneu, etc. or m, n, or h, nasalized.
-all others are split: par-ler, mon-de, don-ner, oc-cu-per am, an ample, jambe, champ, bande, [ a᷈ ] father with nasality
em, en emphase, sembler, gens, tendre
VOWELS in summary om, on bombe, bon, ronfler [ ɔ᷈ ] with nasality
Spellings French Example IPA & English Equivalent um, un humble, parfum, défunt [ œ᷈ ] [o] lips & [e] tongue
i, î, ï, -ie, y Midi, île, naïve, choisie, [ i ] as in leave with nasality
Debussy aim, ain daim, main, sainte [ ɛ᷈ ] can with nasality
é, été, [ e ] chaotic eim, ein Reims, ceinture, hein
-er aller, chez, pied There is no exact English ien bien, chrétien, viens
*some exceptions: cher, heir equivalent im, in imparfait, coin, simple, cinq
-ai, j’ai (-ai verb ending) ym, yn symbol
(Before a silent or sounded final [ ɛ ] net
consonant in the same syllable) GLIDES (When a vowel acts as a consonant)
e, è, ê, ë, -ei, les, fidèle, fête, Noël, peine u before juin, lui, conduit, nuage, lueur, [ɥ]
Exceptions - ai = [ œ ] in faisons etc. another sanctuaire [y] ([u] lips & [i] tongue)
-ey, Beyle In words like travail, ai is
-ai, -aî, -aie, laisser, maître, paie, allaient superseded by the combination il [j].
vowel other with a quick movement to
-aient than the [ə] the next vowel.
The sound [ j ] can be effectively
e When e has no accent mark and The mute e [ ə ] used in its place. *Be sure to
ends a syllable. Since “uh” does not exist in avoid an [ u ] sound.
je, que, lettre, fenêtre spoken French T. Grubb and ou, oi, oy oui, fouet, joie, loin, mois, voyage [ w ] wit, tweet
others recommend this vowel
plural noun or [ œ ], for singing the mute e. Exception: ou followed by il =
adjectives ending in –es [ uj ] mouille
lettres, belles, fenêtres i before another vowel
a, à, â, papa, là, âme, espace, bois, [ a ] father or following a (single or
oi, oy voyage There are two a vowels in double) consonant
French but for choral
purposes an Italianate [ a ] ia, ïa, iai, diable, naïade, liaison [ j ] you
will suffice. iau, ie, iè, ié, miauler, bien, bière, pitié
o, bonne, monotone, soleil Mostly [ ɔ ] io, ieu, ïeu, passion, adieu, aïeux,
y, rayon
o, When followed by a silent final [o]
There are two o sounds in French but for
consonant: argot, mot choral purposes an Italianate [ o ] will -il, -ill deuil, soleil, cailloux, fille [ j ] at the end – no real
When followed by [z] sound: suffice. English equivalent
chose, rose Exceptions: mille, ville,
ô Circumflex: ô, drôle tranquille, pupille, illusion
-eau, -au beau, faut, -au = closed, except before r
– Fauré
ou ou, doux, sous, tout, goût, [ u ] moon
 CONSONANTS (according to the sound) choeur, orchestre
1. Many final consonants are silent, but remember –
“be careful” qu, -Initial: quatre, quel, qui [k] cake
2. All consonants within a word are sounded, the u is silent.
-except h, -Final: coq
-m and n in nasal status
-sometimes p before t - dompter cq, grecque, Jacques [k] cake
3. French consonants are quick and crisp. (See Rule #2 in
Vowels ) k, açoka, Karnak [k] cake
4. French double consonants are treated as single consonants.
x In initial ex- plus a consonant: [ ks ]
b, bb Silent when following a nasal extase
vowel: aplomb, plomb
When medial: vexer
All other cases: bébé, abbé, bras, [b] bob
nabab, **See s for other sounds for
c**
*See the letter p as well. ch Toucher, chose, cloche, chat, [ ʃ ] she
c, qu, cq, c, cc before a, o, u or consonant: [k] cake charme
k, x calme, encore, occupier, clair, cri d, dd Initial and internal: [ d ] deed
c dos, dé, dor, dans, addition, ( dentalized )
cc before i, or e: accident, accent [ ks ] accident descendre
-Final - silent: chaud, quand,
vend, tard
FINAL: (“be careful”) [k] cake
-Sounded in: arc, parc, turc Exceptions: sud [syd] and some
proper names.
-Most other words when f, ff, ph Initial and internal: [ f ] fan, telephone
preceded by a vowel: lac, sec, faire, effet, fanfare, phrase
roc
-Proper names: Poulenc, -Final – pronounced generally
Duparc Bref, chef, vif,
-Silent in: estomac, tabac, porc, boeuf (beef, steer) but boeufs
escroc oeuf (egg) but oeufs
-Silent when preceded by a nasal
vowel: banc, vainc, jonc Exceptions: clef [kle], nerf [nɛɾ]
g, gu, c, x Before a, o, u, or consonant: [ g ] gag
donc - usually silent g gâter, agonie, gros, aggraver
Pronounced in 3 situations: gg Before e, i, or y: suggérer [ gʒ ]
1. As in interjection. Donc!
(therefore) gu Before e, i, or y: figue, guise [ g ] gag
2. Beginning a sentence or
phrase: Donc, pour me tenir … c In the word for second and [g]
Je pense, donc je suis derivatives:
3. Before a word beginning with second, secondaire, seconder
a vowel: Il était donc à Paris.
x x in initial ex- followed by [ gz ]
vowel-sound: exil, exhaler
ch, ch in words of Greek origin: [k] cake g, Before e, i, or y: loge, gymnase [ ʒ ] measure, azure
archangel, Christ, chrétien
 j je, jaune, jasmin [ʒ]
h Always silent. x x in most numerical words: six, [ s ] cease
An aspirate h has bearing upon dix
the liaison (consult dictionary) t Tôt, thé, tort, dort [t] dentalized
l Almost always sounded: lilas, il [ l ] Tip of the tongue v, w vive, vrai, avec [v]
m Sounded unless nasalized: [m] wagon, Watteau
amour, climat, hymne, immense, z, azure, [ z ] zoo
homme s rose, briser
n Sounded unless nasalized. [n]
inutile, bonheur, donner, x exile, exister, exhale [ gz ] eggs
innombrable y (After a consonant) [ i ] eat
-mn is usually pronounced [ n ] Debussy, lys
automne, damner (Between vowels) - rayon, soyez [ j ] Toyota
gn agneau, peigne, magnifique, [ɲ]
cygne onion with the tongue tip Elision: - When the final, sounded consonant of a word ending in a mute e is
down, and touching the elided with the initial vowel sound of the following word. “Elle est ici”
lower front ridge of the
gums and teeth. Liaison: - When a normally silent final consonant is sounded and joined
p, b Initial and sometimes internal: [p] to the initial vowel sound of the following word. “Elle est ici”
pipe, appel
Phonetic changes due to the liaison: Final silent letter becomes:
-pt- many times the p is not d [t]
pronounced. f [v]
g [k]
Final: trop (too) s [z]
x [z]
b b - becomes a [ p ] before an
unvoiced consonant in the Compulsory/Unavoidable Liaisons
interior of the word: absent, 1. After a plural noun and words that indicate the plural noun
obtenir, subtil (spellings: final –s, -x, and –rs).
r Everything flipped: rire, guerre [ɾ] 2. After an article, adjective, personal pronoun, verb, adverb,
preposition, or conjunction.
Initial and doubled in forceful 3. Nasals***: When n is linked, bon, moyen and villain lose their
words - rolled: brûle, terrible nasalization.
***Avoid the uvular r.*** Forbidden Liaison -
s -Initial: sous [ s ] cease Liaison should not be made after a word in the following cases:
-When preceded or followed by 1. No liaison after a noun in the singular.
a consonant: ainsi, jasmin 2. No liaison after a words ending in -rs, -rt, and –rd
-Doubled: chasser, poisson (do link the normally sounded r ). Exception: see Compulsory #1
-Often when final: hélas, jadis, 3. No liaison following et.
lys, Saint-Saëns 4. No liaison following enumerations (phrases that list or specify
entities).
c, ç, sc, c before e, i, y: ceci, cygne [ s ] cease 5. No liaison following a proper name:
ç: français, reçu
sc before e, i, y: scintiller, Forbidden Liaison
descendre Liaison should not be made before a word in the following cases:
1. No liaison over a breath or rest
t, ti when medial and before [ j ]: [ s ] cease 2. No liaison before or after interjections hélas (except mais hélas) ô,
patient [pasja᷈], émotion [emosjɔ᷈] Ah, oui.
3. No liaison before an aspirate h. (dictionary needed)
4. No liaison before numerical words: huit (except as a composite
number: dix-huit) and onze, before or after un/une (when used as a
number) and after cent.