Nuances of the French Accent

The primary difficulty that Francophones have with an English accent, or any English learner for that matter, are those sounds that are non-existent in their native language. Though as English speakers we agonize over the French rs, uires, oues, and more nasally sounds, the French have an equally difficult time with English. Among these sounds are: the ths, the rs, the hs, the shs, and the ws. The lispy th is absent in French, as it is in many other languages, which leads to its classic alternative, the z. “Zis is ze zermometer” (this is the thermometer). The r in French is always pronounced with a bit of guttural sound, giving the characteristic exemplar: “Argh you thrghee people forgh dinnergh?” (are you three people for dinner). Interestingly, this aspirated r is a sound that English speakers overuse when learning French. The lack of an h sound in French is the last of the standard trifecta popping up where it shouldn’t be and disappearing where it is needed, give us the funny sounding “Ow argh hue? Can hue give me an elping and with zis happetizergh?” (How are you? Can you give me a helping hand with this appetizer). <a href="https://chrisreads.medium.com/nuances-of-the-french-accent-67d988f77471">Read More</a>