Introduction
Before you are finished uttering your first sentence, the native French speaker knows whether you are friend or foe. Developing a near-native French accent is as difficult for us as it is for French speakers to develop a near-native English accent. However, it is easier for us to learn the French accent than vice versa; it is not impossible, it just takes training.
Let us start by first dispelling the myth that acquiring a native accent is possible. Unless you were fortunate enough to have been brought up in a bi-lingual household, or had the opportunity to grow-up in France during the critical language development years that occur before the age of twelve, forget about it. These are the only two ways most people can attain a native accent in a language.
It is possible for non-native speakers to cultivate a pleasing accent to even the most critical of French ears. You know you have accomplished this when you are asked the question: “Vous êtes (venez) d’où?” instead of being told, “Ah, vous êtes américain(e)/espagñol(e).” The French can zero in on a foreign imposter faster than pigs can sniff out truffles.
By studying French pronunciation with an overview of the different phonetic aspects that make up French pronunciation, you will be better equipped to improve your accent. Another benefit to studying French phonetics is the immense help it will provide you when spelling unfamiliar words. It can even help with spelling in English due to the amount of words we use derived from French.
This course aims to provide you with an overview of the mechanisms behind pronunciation, the minutiae of French phonetics, and most importantly, the aural training needed to be able to differentiate the sounds of the French language and the oral training to put them into practice. Additionally, you will find that the study of phonetics will help you in other areas of French grammar such as verb conjugations, noun gender, and word morphology (changing a word to a different part of speech).