Linguistic History of France:      

Romance language derived from Latin. From the 17th to mid-20th century French was the pre-eminent international language of democracy, which is likely related to the social/political impact of the French Revolution.           

 

Geography:      

It is bordered by the North Sea, the English Channel in the northwest, the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean sea in the southeast. It land borders consist of Belgium and Luxembourg in the northeast, Germany and Switzerland in the east, Italy and Monaco in the southeast, and Spain and Andorra in the south and southwest                     

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Common occupations:    

Agriculture    

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Stereotypes:

Proud, be-wigged, snooty. Pastoral. Effeminate. Mimes. 

                       

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Images:                                   

                                        

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Lip placement in French is often more forward, but tight at the corners of the mouth.

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Dialect qualities:                   

• Brisk, but precise

• Sharp/staccato

• Each word gets its full, clear value and vowels are not lingered upon

• Accent the last syllable in a word when possible

 

Placement:

• Vowel sounds are sent up, into and through the nasal passage, so that the sound is resonant but not excessively nasal

• Lips are slightly more forward than General American

• Raise the back of the tongue until the throat passage is closed and the sound will be forced up through the nose (do not hold the nose, this will sound like you have a cold)

  • Practice using the word “song.” Pronounce only the first two letters and let the “ng” be a flavor, but not a sound.

  • Practice saying oo, oo, oo, out out out not not not. This will give you general placement.

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Vowel Substitution​

• “ee” becomes “eh” (invite becomes “ehnvite”)

• "ur"  often becomes "air" (matter becomes "mattair")

 

Consonants

• CH becomes “SH”

• H is typically not pronounced but may be added into sentences before vowels

• TH and th (voiced and not voiced) become d or t (“that’s the thing” becomes “zat’s de ting”)

• R’s are typically pronounced in the throat

 

Helpful hints/exercises:

FOR FRENCH "R":

                1) Open your mouth

                2) Close your throat as if you're going to gargle or to avoid swallowing a mouthful of liquid and say "K"                    or "Kuh" repeatedly

                3) Pay attention to where "K" is in your mouth. It should be similar to where Scottish folks say "LoCH                        Ness." It's not like the English R, which is in the middle of the mouth or the Spanish "R" which is in the                    front of the mouth. French "R" is more in the throat. Still having trouble. Try saying "Eccch!" as if you are                  disgusted with something or gargling. 

EXERCISE:

AB

AH-AB

A-HAB

A-HRAB

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Practice sentences:  

I just want to know when Aunt March is coming to visit.

They left the game in such a hurry, I knew something was the matter.         

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Video Clips:

Linking words in French Accent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw89DzP4RTs

General Approach for French Accent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AozDoB-ev1c&t=1s

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Plays including French:

Madeline's Christmas

Les Miserables

Lucky Stiff

Newsies​

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Movies/Television:

Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere)

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