4 ms·
French pronunciation has something like this. They can't abide a word that ends in a vowel-sound smooshing into a following word that starts with a vowel-sound.
by denton-scratch 3y ago
French pronunciation has something like this. They can't abide a word that ends in a vowel-sound smooshing into a following word that starts with a vowel-sound. So, for example, the word "suis" is pronounced "swee", unless the next word lacks an initial consonant, in which case the trailing 's' is sounded.
So "Je suis anglais" is pronounced as "Je sweez anglais". Compare "Je suis francais" ("Je swee francais").
- pessimizer 3y agoPretty sure that English non-rhoticity started with higher-caste London people trying to sound French.
- froddd 3y agoThis is called “faire la liaison” (“make the link”) between the two words. If the first word ends with a consonant, and the next word starts with a vowel, then do pronounce that last consonant.
- jhanschoo 3y agoIn most cases, it is more a preservation of sounds that have been dropped elsewhere. But see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liaison_(French)#Liaison_on_inverted_verbs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liaison_(French)#Liaison_on_in... , e.g. "parle-t-on", "a-t-il"
- kmill 3y agoInterestingly, when people speak slowly it comes out as "je swee zanglais". The terminal sound is deposited onto the following word!
- denton-scratch 3y agoAnother example: there's a French children's song with the line: "Pendouillez moi avec" ("hang me as well" - don't ask). I have a recording of this song, and it's pronounced "Pendouillez moi za vec" (equal stress on each of the last three syllables). What's interesting is that the intruding consonant isn't an otherwise-silent 's' that is being sounded; it's completely spurious.
- z500 3y agoThese are called liaison and enchaînement, respectively. Your useless fact for the day.