Pronunciation Tips: Two Problematic Vowel Sounds

Usually the vowel sounds are the greatest challenge to anyone learning a foreign language. The best way to learn how to pronounce sounds and words correctly is to listen as much as possible to native speakers and to practise those sounds and words as much as possible.

Nevertheless, there are some helpful tips for the two vowel sounds that this article is about. Before we get to that, let me just give an example of how French speakers sometimes struggle with English sounds and then you can appreciate the importance of pronunciation.

Believe it or not, native French speakers with little exposure to English can struggle to hear the difference between the words `ship` and `sheep`; to French ears, these words sounds closer to `ship`. To our ears, of course, the difference is obvious.

Looking at this the other way, many English speakers can struggle to hear the difference between the vowel sounds in `tu` and `vous`. Using the International Phonetic Alphabet (dictionaries use these symbols to show correct pronunciation, and they are extremely useful), these two words are rendered as [ty] and [vu] respectively. What`s the difference?

While the vowel sound in `vous` does not exactly match a sound in English, its closest approximant is something like a short `ooh` sound. On the other hand, the vowel in the word `tu` can`t easily be approximated. However, if you keep your lips rounded as if you are saying `ooh`, but instead try to say `ee`, you will get very close to the correct pronunciation.

There are other words where it is easier to be misunderstood. The pair `dessous` and `dessus` can be confusing.

• Le dessous de la table (using the /u/ sound) - the underside of the table
• Le dessus de la table (using the /y/ sound) - the top of the table

And now there is a very common mistake that English speakers can make if they are not being careful. When you say, `Merci beaucoup,` you have to use the /u/ sound at the end of `beaucoup` and definitely not the /y/ sound. I won`t say here what it would mean if you said [boky] because it`s a bit rude, but please feel free to do some research of your own to figure it out...