Henriette Walter's good news
While searching for a book yesterday I unpacked three more boxes. I didn't find the book I was looking for, but I did find "French inside out" by the excellent Henriette Walter. If you want to read about the French language then Henriette Walter is highly recommended, even by our phonétique lecturer.
Anyway, she brought good news on the vexed question of nasal vowels and the anterior and posterior "a".
What good news?
Despite all indications to the contrary French, like most languages, is not a monolith. It's a continuum, with different pronunciations falling within the norm.
Regarding nasal vowels she records that the number of people who distinguish between the standard four (un bon vin blanc or un grand pain rond) is falling. There is an increasing tendency to pronounce un and vin/pain with the same nasal vowel. Thus many French people have only three nasal vowels in their repertoire.
She then spoils it by recording that other people distinguish between pain and pin, using 5 different nasal vowels, and still others have 6, making a difference between vent and parents.
Why is this good news? Well it simply reminds me that French is not an impossible target which must be hit with 100% accuracy. It is a fallen human language spoken by fallen human beings with the laudable goal of communication.
Oh - and increasingly the distinction between the anterior a (patte) and posterior a (pâte) is disappearing from the language.
Also this means that when I crack it I'll have cracked something that many French people have not cracked (and do not care tuppence about!)
Anyway, she brought good news on the vexed question of nasal vowels and the anterior and posterior "a".
What good news?
Despite all indications to the contrary French, like most languages, is not a monolith. It's a continuum, with different pronunciations falling within the norm.
Regarding nasal vowels she records that the number of people who distinguish between the standard four (un bon vin blanc or un grand pain rond) is falling. There is an increasing tendency to pronounce un and vin/pain with the same nasal vowel. Thus many French people have only three nasal vowels in their repertoire.
She then spoils it by recording that other people distinguish between pain and pin, using 5 different nasal vowels, and still others have 6, making a difference between vent and parents.
Why is this good news? Well it simply reminds me that French is not an impossible target which must be hit with 100% accuracy. It is a fallen human language spoken by fallen human beings with the laudable goal of communication.
Oh - and increasingly the distinction between the anterior a (patte) and posterior a (pâte) is disappearing from the language.
Also this means that when I crack it I'll have cracked something that many French people have not cracked (and do not care tuppence about!)
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