An Introduction to French Pronunciation

In order to speak French as it is spoken by native-speakers, one needs not only to hear the language, but to know what to listen for. This comprehensive and accessible guide to current French pronunciation fulfils precisely this need. The first three chapters outline the book's aims, level and scope, as well as the general principles of French phonetics. The author also alerts the reader to regional variations in the pronunciation of French. He then turns to specifics, including vowels, semi-consonants and consonants, providing the reader with the basic knowledge needed to understand later chapters which discuss these parts of speech at greater length. Interspersed are other chapters covering such important aspects of French pronunciation as rhythmic groups, the syllable, liaison and intonation. The orientation of An Introduction to French Pronunciation is consistently practical, and phonetic theory and technical terminology are kept to the minimum necessary. It will be of interest to anyone with a basic knowledge of French who needs help and advice in achieving a more authentic pronunciation.