OK, I'm 14, and I am just starting to learn french on my own. (Using programs, watching French movies, etc.) and I was thinking about it. If I speak French, will I have an "American Accent"? How would it differ from a native French speaker?
2007-07-07 20:41:40 · 6 answers · asked by Joseph M 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
I think you will, because you are American and that's nothing to be ashamed of. French people, when they speak English or American English, invariably have a French accent.
You will be considered an American who speaks French unusually well if you remember that (a) all syllables are stressed the same except the last one, which takes the accent, that (b) liaison must occur between most words that end in an consonant and are followed by words that begin with a vowel and (c) that the "i" sound is usually sounded "ee" unless paired with another vowel and the way we Americans pronounce "a" must stay in the states...it's ALWAYS pronounced "ah" like in "father" not "ay" as in "gate" or "eh" as in "apple" or "answer."
These are the kinds of things Americans trip up on when tackling French. It's good that you're only 14! You have the capacity to learn the language much easier than a 24 or 34 year old. And if you're older than 50, better hire a translator.
2007-07-07 23:24:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It really depends on your ''raw talent'' to imitate accents and/or the amount of efforts you put into it. Most Americans can't quite figure out the French ''r'' and the ''u'' sound. But the more you watch French TV, movies and listen to the radio, the better your accent should become, as you get used to hearing how they pronounce words.
I've only met one American who didn't sound English speaking French and that was because he had spent a whole year in France with a host family.
2007-07-08 08:22:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
actually....not necessarily. it depends more on who you learn most of your pronunciation from. programs designed to help you learn french...you're probably going to get the "American accent" movies? meah. that'll get mixed results. it'd help with correct pronunciation as far as most French people are concerned. If you had a mentor from who natively spoke French, that's where you're most likely to pick up the accent from.
I actually do speak from experience. I lived with a Columbian family for 6 weeks a few years ago and still speak Spanish with the same basic accent that they have. I also have a very good friend who also speaks Spanish, but his main mentor was from the Catalian part of Spain....so he speaks Spanish with what sounds so much like a lisp that it sounds funny to me, who learned things otherwise.
oh, and you asked how it would differ from a naitive? not much really. they'll still understand you, it'll just be easier to tell where you're from. it's interesting when you go to Europe and can literally hear a difference in the east side of a country as opposed to the west. as well as the north and south. many countries themselves are smaller than many of our states! fascinating really....(i've also taken a Linguistics course in college though so it's been studied pretty well)
anyway. best of luck with your learning endeavors!!
2007-07-07 21:07:37 · answer #3 · answered by Dear Abby 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think that these people wanted to play on words : the word "quatre" mean "four" in english and "four"in french is a household electrical machine used in every kitchens, an oven
2016-05-21 02:55:14 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course you will. Have you ever been to Texas? Or the east coast?
2007-07-07 20:46:21 · answer #5 · answered by Sweet Suzy 777! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One thing, the r-sound... huge difference.
2007-07-08 03:08:43 · answer #6 · answered by G 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋