Liaison
The letters s, x, z, t, d, n and m, normally silent when at the
end of a word, are often pronounced when the next word begins with a vowel.
Liason with the letters s, x, and z...
|
trois amis
les enfants
aux enfants
mes élèves
certaines idées
vieux hôtels
les avenues
petits hommes
chez eux
nous avons
vous êtes |
three friends
the children
to the children
my students
certain ideas
old hotels
the avenues
small men
their home
we have
you are |
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with the letters t and d..
|
petit ami
Où sont-ils?
Où est-elle?
un grand hôtel
Ils sont en haut |
boyfriend
Where are they?
Where is she?
a large hotel
They are up there |
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As already mentioned, h is silent. The words
beginning with h that are of latin origin act
as if they begin with a vowel and liaison occurs. However, the words beginning
with h that are of non-latin origin act as if they begin
with a consonant - liason does not occur.
When liaison occurs with the letters n and m, they are pronounced
and the vowel is denazalised.
|
un an
un homme
|
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son idée
le prochain an |
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Elision
With elision the opposite of liaison occurs - sounds normally pronounced become
silent. The vowel sound of these short one syllable words all go silent before
a vowel or
mute h:
je me te se le la de ne que jusque
French orthography marks elision by replacing the vowel with an apostrophe
and combining the words.
|
j'ai
elle m'a embrassé
il t'aime
|
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il s'est blessé
l'enfant
l'amour
|
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The word si is elided only before the masculine pronouns il and
ils. The word quelque is elided only before un.
