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I've noticed that French names seem to be fashionable and that most English speakers have a lot of difficulties to prononce them, so here it is!

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I> Prononciation

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a= "ah"

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e= "eh" (pet, men, steak) - rather rarely it becomes "uh" or mute

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i= "ee" NEVER, never "eye"

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o, au, eau= "oh"

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en, an= aWn (see ANdre)

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on= AWn (although I would write it oWn) (see DiON)

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tion= syAwn

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in, un= apparently it is expressed as um on this site (HUMbert), although iWn or uWn seems clearer to me.

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è, ê, oe: "eh"

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oi, oy= "wa"

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ai, ay, ei, ey= "eh"

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ae= ah-eh

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ea= eh-ah, never "ee"

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ine= "een", never "eyen"

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eu, oeu= "uh"

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ou= "oo"

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ille= a very long "ee". Maybe like ee-yuh

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illa= ee-yah

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c+i or e = s

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c+ another letter = k

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th= just like t

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- The complicated
é= on this site it is listed as "ay". Never prononce it like this, because it sounds like someone faking a heavy English accent. If you really want, you could say it like "may" without the "y" sound in the end. But to me prononcing it "eh" is good and simpler.

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u= this one is difficult. It is never "oo", "uh", and even less "you". It is like the German U Umlaut.

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II> Stress

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This site often lists the stressing as: 1stsyllable-SECOND/LASTSYLLABLE

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Although it is not always false in itself, it is totally fake sounding and unnatural in French.
In most cases, there is no stress at all. It all depends on the context. Let's take the example of Rachel. All the sentences will be in English so you understand the context.

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In all the following cases, Rachel= ra-shel (the syllables are equally prononced).

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I like the name Rachel.
Rachel is my wife.
My wife is Rachel.

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[In fact, most]

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In all the following cases, Rachel = RA-shel

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Rachel is my wife, not Lea!
Rachel! How dare you???
Rachel... you're sooo boring....

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In all the following cases, Rachel = ra-SHEL

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Rachel??? Are you sure he said "Rachel"????
Rachel!!! Are you here??? Answer!!!
They were all there, in front of me. Sarah, and Rebecca, and Rachel, and Lea... (even more emphasized if all the names are two syllables).

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If you mix up the stresses, it's ok of course. Just don't stress systematically the last syllable, it's very weird. :)

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How do I know is a name is French? http://www.behindthename.com/bb/arcview.php?id=203976&board=gen

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Hoping it helps,

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~~ Claire ~~

This message was edited 4/12/2005, 8:47 AM