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ArchivesAm I pronouncing this name correctly? It's French...
Donatienne
I want to say daw-NATE-yawn but... well, I'm horrible with names that aren't English. I'm working on it. So, how is this name really said? Is there a pronunciation guide for French names anyone knows of that I could get a link to, or just any general tips anyone could share with me?
Thanks
~ Arcadia
I want to say daw-NATE-yawn but... well, I'm horrible with names that aren't English. I'm working on it. So, how is this name really said? Is there a pronunciation guide for French names anyone knows of that I could get a link to, or just any general tips anyone could share with me?
Thanks
~ Arcadia
1
Replies
tips
I've thought of some tips for you :)
First, the most important one, the "i". It's never, never "eye" in French. Always like in "fee", but shorter.
1) In French, there's only one way to prononce a "a": "ah" like car, but shorter. It's never aw, ay, uh...
2) Same for the "e". It's always like in pet, men, let... Never "ee", "uh"...
3) As for "o", it's like "boring", but shorter. Never "ow", "oe"...
4) "ti"+ vowel will often be "si" (like "sick"), but there are exceptions where it will stay "ti" (like "tip").
5) Lea, for example, will never be "lee". It's always leh-ah (see before).
I hope it helps!
Claire
I've thought of some tips for you :)
First, the most important one, the "i". It's never, never "eye" in French. Always like in "fee", but shorter.
1) In French, there's only one way to prononce a "a": "ah" like car, but shorter. It's never aw, ay, uh...
2) Same for the "e". It's always like in pet, men, let... Never "ee", "uh"...
3) As for "o", it's like "boring", but shorter. Never "ow", "oe"...
4) "ti"+ vowel will often be "si" (like "sick"), but there are exceptions where it will stay "ti" (like "tip").
5) Lea, for example, will never be "lee". It's always leh-ah (see before).
I hope it helps!
Claire
1
i have to disagree with the e-sound, because it is pronounced different when it's é or è.
for example:
'lentement' is more like lan-te-man
'léger' is like lay-sjer (with the latter 'e' like in pet but longer)
some other tips:
"ai" is pronounced like è (but shorter than in 'léger', more like the English 'pet' thus)
"s" at the end of a word is often not pronounced, like the plural forms of words:
voitures the same as voiture
something similar was with Donatienne, where the final syllable is not pronounced either, but you already got that right i saw.
for example:
'lentement' is more like lan-te-man
'léger' is like lay-sjer (with the latter 'e' like in pet but longer)
some other tips:
"ai" is pronounced like è (but shorter than in 'léger', more like the English 'pet' thus)
"s" at the end of a word is often not pronounced, like the plural forms of words:
voitures the same as voiture
something similar was with Donatienne, where the final syllable is not pronounced either, but you already got that right i saw.
1
First I wanted to explain the é/è thing, but I didn't see how to do it, since lay and lé aren't the same (there is no "i" sound in "é").
I think that according to the pronunciation of this site, lentement would be lawn (like ANdre )-tuh-mawn or lawnt-mawn (depending on the accent), and léger leh-zheh, but it's complicated lol
Claire
I think that according to the pronunciation of this site, lentement would be lawn (like ANdre )-tuh-mawn or lawnt-mawn (depending on the accent), and léger leh-zheh, but it's complicated lol
Claire
This message was edited 12/24/2004, 4:02 PM
1
Thanks!
made you look
made you look
1
It is doh-nah-syen. :)
1
do-na-TSJEN ('t' hardly pronounced, more a 'z' sound)
1