French Pronunciation and Reading (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 edition. Excerpt: ...and consonants, and forms only one syllable, as--c'est, it is; d'abord, first, at first; j'avais, I had; il Fa, he has it; il m'a donne un livre, he has given me a book; il n'a pas de pain, he has no bread; s'il vient, if he come; lorsqu'elle vint, when she came; il s'amuse, he amuses himself, &c. PRONUNCIATION OP SENTENCES. Like most other languages the French possesses three kinds of pronunciation, namely: first, Oratorial reading; second, Serious reading; and third, Familiar reading, or conversation. As my object in writing this book has been to treat only the third kind of pronunciation, that is to say, "Familiar reading or conversation," I shall finish my task by a few remarks on the latter. In conversation, or familiar reading, the pronunciation does not bear the smallest resemblance to the two first kinds, for several reasons, viz.--1. Because, in conversation especially, the accent is scarcely heard. 2. The greater part of the unaccented e's in syllables is mute.. 3. The final consonants are, in general, mute also, and have no connection with the following initial vowels, except when they cannot be separated without F2 altering the sense, that is, when they cannot do without each other. (See Union of Words.) 4. All peculiar inflexions of the voice would appear ridiculous and pedantic. It is why it is more carefully avoided by persons of taste and judgment, or unaffected people. RECAPITULATION. 1. Voyelles Simples, a, a; e, e, e; i,; o,; u, ue, . A. Ce page a cache ma cage. Je vous blame de macher du platre, de chiquer du tabac. Vous n'etes pas_ aimable. Je pars pour Paris a midi. E. L'ete je prefere le the au...