Week 8: Linking

This week, I decided to focus on the French liaison (i.e. linking). While I thought this would be fairly easy, I discovered that the rules are somewhat tricky (and very exception-laden!) after watching this video. I then listened to my archetype video and found it quite interesting when she linked certain words and when she didn't (for instance, "singes etaient" is linked while "ils ont" never is). I realized that I actually had been linking words that were not intended to be linked. This was very useful.

In addition, I tried to work more on my /r/ pronunciation. I practiced the videos I linked to in the fourth recording many times but I still have such a hard time pronouncing /r/ when it's not isolated in-between a bunch of vowels or near a fricative. I also can't seem to pronounce it when it's placed after alveolar consonants (such as in tres). I've tried so many times but I just haven't gotten it yet.

Here's my recording for this week.

Week 7: Review of Vowels & /r/

This week, I decided to review the individual parts I've been practicing over the past month. I reviewed all the vowel videos I had practiced and videos covering the French /r/. I listened very closely to the archetype video and segmented it, trying to imitate each part of the clip I chose. I would say that this week has probably been the most frustrating, as I feel that, even though I've practiced, I can't seem to get the sounds right. When I practice the sounds in isolation using the LRC Michigan videos, I am able to do them but when I have to use them in context I often can't seem to make the right sounds. Also, I still am confused sometimes about the exact sounds (specifically, vowels) that are being pronounced in my archetype. I practice the different types of vowels but I still have a hard time distinguishing their sounds when I hear them. This is maybe what I need to practice next, which might require me to listen to more French pronunciation instead of just practicing on my own.

Therefore, I recorded for this week but I'm not very excited about my progress. I feel like I'm at a plateau or that perhaps I've slid down the plateau a little bit. I'll keep marching forward but, to be honest, this week was a little discouraging. However, I know that to progress in anything, sometimes it feels like going backwards.

Regardless, here's my recording for the week.

Week 6: That Dreaded /r/

As I've been practicing, I've been focusing on French vowels. I thought that those were where I needed to focus most, as accent is in the vowels and I want to speak as native-like as possible. I was planning on saving /r/ for later, as I determined it was too difficult for me to conquer yet. However, as I was pondering why my speech sometimes sounds so American, I decided that maybe it had to do with my /r/ pronunciation and that if I could work on that, some of the vowels would fall more naturally into place.

Well, I was certainly right when I thought it was difficult but I was able to begin, and maybe that's what counts. These two videos (1 & 2) were most helpful to me. I will definitely need more practice, as this pronunciation to me as an American English speaker is quite unnatural. Nonetheless, I practiced and practiced, and then I recorded numerous times.

Here is the recording for this week, where I think I yell-talked the least.

Week 5: /y/

I'm so excited about this week! I feel that I really made a small but significant improvement in French vowel pronunication. I found some amazing YouTube videos that helped me so much in being able to pronounce sounds that we don't have in American English. In particular, I watched and followed along with this video many times in order to practice the French vowel /y/. I also watched and practiced along with this video to practice the vowel /œ/, but then as I practiced my audio clip I began getting very confused about which vowel was which. Therefore, I just focused on practicing /y/. I realize this is such a specific aspect to work on (just one vowel!) but I felt pretty accomplished to be able to create a sound I was never able to before! Making the sound by itself was pretty easy for me but having to use it throughout speech proved more difficult. However, I realized that French people don't enunciate it so strongly, and so that might have been some of my difficulty. Regardless, I tried to do so within my practice, just because it was helpful for me. I also found that by really rounding and fronting this vowel as I used it among speech, it made it easier for me to pronounce other words in a more correct way. This was encouraging to discover!

Here is this week's audio clip.

Week 4: Voice Quality

After reading our article for Wednesday and discussing in class how to alter speech, I had a much better idea of what to focus on for this week's recording. I spent about 40 minutes re-watching the archetype video and spent the first two times just watching her mouth as she spoke. Although she did round her lips multiple times, I also noticed her pronunciation seemed to be in the front of her mouth. After realizing this, I practiced once without recording myself. I then listened to the video 4 more times, alternating between reading the script I had written and watching the video. I also tried to imitate some of the words/sounds as I heard/saw her produce them.

After doing this, I looked back at the voice quality article, which had mentioned some aspects of French pronunciation. I noticed it also said that French speakers generally utilize rounding, but also tend to have a fronted tongue and blade articulation, as well as a slightly open mouth. My archetype displayed all of these things, and so I decided I would try to emulate them in my audio file.

For the next 30 or so minutes, I practiced imitating my archetype and produced 3 audio files. I then listened to my previous recording from last week and determined I had very obviously not been rounding/fronting when pronunciating. After this, I recorded one last recording, which can be heard here.  As I was practicing, I found myself having to restrict air in order to make sure I was mostly using the front of my mouth to speak. I also constricted my mouth so as not to open it as wide (I guess I am a loud mouthed American after all!). I noticed that this caused me to speak quieter and more breathy, which might(!) make me sound more French but not by much. Certainly, I still need to work on some things but I think it is a definite improvement.

I also found a website called French Crazy which has many helpful tips about French pronunciation, such as this one about French phonetics and this one about how to lose your foreign accent as a speaker of French. I'm really excited to use this website in the following weeks as I work on French pronunciation.

For next week, I want to continue working on the fronting/rounding of sounds, as well as working on vowels. The latter article I linked to has some really helpful tips/insights in regards to French vowels and their difference from American English ones. I'm really excited to improve my pronunciation and learn the aspects of teaching it as well!

Week 2 & 3: Archetype & First Recording

The first minute is the clip that I am using. The last line is, "they were in some frightening trees."

I chose this as my archetype because, in most ways, she really pronounces the sounds of the words clearer and slower than an adult might. Also, the video is so close to her face, which helps to see how she pronounces the words.

As for my own pronunciation, I need to work on pronouncing /r/. I also need to work on the vowels, although to be honest I'm not exactly sure what aspects at this point (which is part of the problem).

Here is my first recording.

The things I will first focus on will be my pronunciation of /r/s.