[Menvi-discuss] formulating vowels

Wed Feb 22 11:00:52 EST 2012

All the French vowels should be kissing vowels. Look at how the French use
"grunt words". When Americans don't know what to say, we say "uh". When
French speakers don't know what to say, they say "uh" with the mixed vowel.
Get used to kissing all the French vowels; it is a romantic language, after
all, right?

Also, it's helpful to know that these vowels can be classified as both a
tongue vowel and a lip (and/or nasal) vowel.
So, a "U" in French is an "ee" through "oo" lips. And, the "oe" ligature is
an "er" through "oo" lips, without the "r"--it's got "r" flavor in it, but
doesn't quite phonate the [r] phoneme.

There are three glides inherent in French, the [w] and [j] and the French
glide, which is the shortened form of the mixed vowel [y]. The symbol is an
upside-down "h", and occurs in words like "lui" and "nuage". These are also
called "semi-vowels".

Also note that IPA transcriptions are always enclosed within brackets.

Very important to have in your library: "International Phonetic Alphabet
(IPA) for Singers" by Joan Wall.

I've attached the French IPA in braille for your convenience.

Sincerely,
-Andy

-----Original Message-----
From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org
[mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org]On Behalf Of Bettie Downing
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 8:34 AM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] formulating vowels

When I was studying French the teacher told me to say the French "u" as if I
were kissing someone.

On Feb 22, 2012, at 12:22 AM, Julie McGinnity wrote:

> We had a specialist come from France last year, and she described the
> vowels to me and drew the shapes on my hand.  I am not a visual
> learner though, so I learned the way Karen did.  I found it much
> easier to listen and repeat what I heard spoken or sung.  French
> vowels can be taught in a way so that they seem very difficult, but
> the rule with French has always been: if you feel like you're over
> doing it, you're probably just getting it right.  The mouth is a
> contortionist.
>
> This is why I stick to German if I can.  :)
>
> On 2/21/12, Brandon Keith Biggs <brandonboy13 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Hello,
>> Ask your teacher for visualization exercises as well. My teacher said to
>> form an ooh vowel, sing ooh, pinch your index finger and thumb together
and
>> pull them out away from your mouth. It is to signify pulling the sound
from
>> your mouth, like you would pull wire or string. I think of there being a
big
>> block of gold in my mouth and I want only a perfect spirally bar coming
out
>> of my lips. When you pinch right as the attack happens and start pulling
>> perfectly strait forward out of your mouth you get the luscious rich
closed
>> ooh sound almost all languages love.
>> If you're talking about one of the weird sounds that are unique to
French,
>> just imitate the best you can. I'd also suggest listening to some Foust
to
>> hear what those singers do.
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Karen Gearreald
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 7:34 PM
>> To: 'This is for discussing music and braille literacy'
>> Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] formulating vowels
>>
>> Kelsey, it is easy to become too worried about placing your lips and
tongue
>> and jaw in exactly the right position for French vowels.  I had a similar
>> problem in college when I was learning to speak French.  Of course you
will
>> need to know the various positions for your phonetics class.  I think,
>> however, that in actually producing the vowels, you will most easily
learn
>> to relax and remember if you imitate the correct sounds, just as you
would
>> if you were a baby in France.  Little blind children in France learn the
>> vowels by sound through imitation and repetition; so can we.
>>
>> The big exception may be the front, rounded "u" vowel.  As Bettie Downing
>> said, you can learn much by touching your tutor's mouth when this vowel
is
>> being pronounced.  Without undue tension, remember to round your lips as
you
>> bring them forward.  This is not a position that we use in English.
>> Observing the forward rounding of the lips for the "u" vowel, someone
once
>> comically said:  "You look as if a rooster could perch on your lips."
Not a
>> bad concept.  Your lips can still be soft and flexible, but give that
silly
>> rooster a place to stand.
>>
>> Karen Gearreald
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org
>> [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Kelsey Nicolay
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 8:58 PM
>> To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org
>> Subject: [Menvi-discuss] formulating vowels
>>
>> Hello,
>> I am taking a French phonetics course this semester and am
>> currently working with a tutor.  We are learning about vowel
>> height, vowel roundedness, and vowel backness.  How does a tutor
>> explain how the mouth is supposed to form these vowels?
>> Thanks,
>>
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>
>
> --
> Julie McG
> Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
> Eyes for the Blind
>
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>
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